FFR cardiac catheterization and medical imaging techniques

COOKHAM, U.K. - Dec. 11, 2014 - PRLog -- The human heart is the hardest working muscle and hub of the human circulatory system. Pumping oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the entire body, this fist-sized muscular organ promotes the health of all the body’s tissues. Added to that is the electrical system of the heart which  makes the blood pumping and muscle contraction smoother. Even a slight disorder in any of these processes can affect the quality of life.  And that is why an acute damage to the heart muscles often leads to morbidity and mortality.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the most common from of heart disease and has been claiming the lives of millions of people across  the globe. Blockage in the coronary arteries due to the building up of atherosclerotic plaques is the main reason for coronary heart disease. Plaque deposits in the coronary artery obstruct the blood flow to the heart.  Thorough diagnosis of a CAD patient assists the physicians in choosing the right treatment plan.

Angioplasty and stenting was considered to be the standard medical approach for treating coronary lesions until the FAME (Fractional flow reserve versus Angiography in Multivessel Evaluation) study results were published. This study demonstrated that FFR cardiac catheterization can help the interventional cardiologist in discriminating between ischemic and non-ischemic lesions. FFR pressure wire guided catheterization and revascularization have become a standard procedure these days.  You can find more information regarding the FAME study by visiting the link – http://www.radcliffecardiology.com/image-gallery/table-1-...

On the one hand, FFR measurement technique assisted the physician in deciding whether or not to perform the stenting, while on the other hand it is not capable enough to provide detailed information about the stenosis or vulnerable plaque. Assessing the physiological significance of coronary stenosis is crucial for guiding the revascularization procedures and optimises procedural outcomes. That is when imaging techniques such as Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) find their way to interventional cardiology. Ten times higher microscopic resolutions offered by OCT makes it a superior choice over IVUS. OCT compared with FFR values often help the cardiologist in detecting ischemic significance of stenosis and optimising the result of stent deployment. Cardiovascular professionals who wish to know about the recent advancements in cardiac sciences and technology can visit Radcliffe Cardiology site.