Coronary physiology assessment in the catheterization laboratory

Figure 3 Functional assessment of epicardial stenosis. A 77-year-old woman with exertional angina was referred for coronary angiography. Two intermediate lesions were found in the proximal and distal segments of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) (A), and in the proximal and mid segments of the right coronary artery (RCA) (B). Fractional Flow Reserve was non-significant on the LAD (FFR 0.84) and significant on the RCA (FFR 0.74). Accordingly, percutaneous coronary intervention was performed with a drug-eluting stent on the RCA (C). A post-intervention FFR confirmed that the good angiographic result was also associated with functional improvement (FFR 0.91). Six months after the procedure the patient remains asymptomatic. FFR: Fractional flow reserve.