Published Online
on June 9, 2003

A more recent version of this article appeared on June 24, 2003

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 107/24/3034    most recent 01.CIR.0000074279.44131.DEv1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stoel, M. G. Articles by Visser, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Stoel, M. G. Articles by Visser, C. A. Pubmed/NCBI databases Compound via MeSH Substance via MeSH Medline Plus Health Information Angina Related Collections Coronary imaging: angiography/ultrasound/Doppler/CC

Submitted on January 24, 2003
Revised on March 26, 2003
Accepted on March 31, 2003

Frame Count Reserve

Martin G. Stoel MD^*, Felix Zijlstra MD, PhD, and Cees A. Visser MD, PhD

From the Hospital of the Free University, Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam, and University Hospital Groningen (F.Z.), Department of Cardiology, Groningen, the Netherlands.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mg.stoel{at}vumc.nl.

Background--The Doppler wire-derived (relative) coronary flow velocity reserve (CVR) that is used to evaluate functional significance of a coronary stenosis is a method performed only by interventional cardiologists. An angiographic method would be useful in the diagnostic catheterization laboratory. For this purpose, we investigated the relation between TIMI frame count reserve (FCR) and CVR.

Methods and Results--In 38 patients, (relative) FCR of left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex coronary artery (LCx) was calculated by using manual, synchronized contrast agent injections and compared with (relative) CVR. In addition, vessel length was measured with an intracoronary guidewire and frame count flow velocity was calculated and compared with average peak velocity. There was a strong correlation between FCR and CVR (r=0.62, P<0.001) and between relative FCR and relative CVR (r=0.84, P<0.001). The LAD was significantly longer than the LCx (mean, 14.3±1.6 cm versus 11.4±1.8 cm, P<0.001), and, therefore, TIMI frame count of LAD was significantly higher than of LCx (mean basal 32.5±15.1 versus 23.6±9.1 and hyperemic 12.1±6.6 versus 8.7±3.2, both P<0.02). However, all flow velocity measurements and estimations of volume flow were not different for LAD compared with LCx. There were also no differences between mean FCR and CVR of LAD or LCx, of both vessels compared with each other and between mean relative FCR and relative CVR.

Conclusion--The (relative) frame count reserve can be used to estimate (relative) coronary flow velocity reserve.

Key words: coronary disease • blood flow • angiography

This article has been cited by other articles:

				V. Stangl, V. Witzel, G. Baumann, and K. Stangl Current diagnostic concepts to detect coronary artery disease in women Eur. Heart J., March 2, 2008; 29(6): 707 - 717. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K Vijayalakshmi, V J Whittaker, B Kunadian, J Graham, R A Wright, J A Hall, A Sutton, and M A de Belder Prospective, randomised, controlled trial to study the effect of intracoronary injection of verapamil and adenosine on coronary blood flow during percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndromes Heart, September 1, 2006; 92(9): 1278 - 1284. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Gibson, D. A. Morrow, S. A. Murphy, T. M. Palabrica, L. K. Jennings, P. H. Stone, H. H. Lui, T. Bulle, N. Lakkis, R. Kovach, et al. A Randomized Trial to Evaluate the Relative Protection Against Post-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Microvascular Dysfunction, Ischemia, and Inflammation Among Antiplatelet and Antithrombotic Agents: The PROTECT-TIMI-30 Trial J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., June 20, 2006; 47(12): 2364 - 2373. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Bittl The Future of an Illusion J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., June 20, 2006; 47(12): 2380 - 2383. [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. K. Chugh, J. Koppel, M. Scott, L. Shewchuk, D. Goodhart, R. Bonan, J.-C. Tardif, S. G. Worthley, C. DiMario, M. J. Curtis, et al. Coronary flow velocity reserve does not correlate with TIMI frame count in patients undergoing non-emergency percutaneous coronary intervention J. Am. Coll. Cardiol., August 18, 2004; 44(4): 778 - 782. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]