Abstract
Objective
This study aims to investigate the safety and feasibility of using a deep learning algorithm to calculate computed tomography angiography–based fractional flow reserve (DL-FFRCT) as an alternative to invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in the selection of patients for coronary intervention.
Materials and methods
Patients (N = 296) with symptomatic coronary artery disease identified by coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) with stenosis over 50% were retrospectively enrolled from a single centre in this study. ICA-guided interventions were performed in patients at admission, and DL-FFRCT was conducted retrospectively. The influences on decision-making by using DL-FFRCT and the clinical outcome were compared to those of ICA-guided care for symptomatic CAD at the 2-year follow-up evaluation.
Result
Two hundred forty-three patients were evaluated. Up to 72% of diagnostic ICA studies could have been avoided by using a DL-FFRCT value > 0.8 as a cut-off for intervention. A similar major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) rate was observed in patients who underwent revascularisation with a DL-FFRCT value ≤ 0.8 (2.9%) compared to that of ICA-guided interventions (3.3%) (stented lesions with ICA stenosis > 75%) (p = 0.838).
Conclusion
DL-FFRCT can reduce the need for diagnostic coronary angiography when identifying patients suitable for coronary intervention. A low MACE rate was found in a 2-year follow-up investigation.
Key Points
• Seventy-two percent of diagnostic ICA studies could have been avoided by using a DL-FFRCT value > 0.8 as a cut-off for intervention.
• Coronary artery stenting based on the diagnosis by using a 320-detector row CT scanner and a positive DL-FFRCT value could potentially be associated with a lower occurrence rate of major adverse cardiovascular events (2.9%) within the first 2 years.
• A low event rate was found when intervention was performed in tandem lesions with haemodynamic significance based on DL-FFRCT < 0.8 as a cut-off value.
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Abbreviations
- CABG:
-
Coronary artery bypass surgery
- CAD:
-
Coronary artery disease
- CCTA:
-
Coronary computed tomography angiography
- CFD:
-
Computed fluid dynamics
- DL-FFRCT:
-
Deep learning–based FFRCT
- FFR:
-
Fractional flow reserve
- FFRCT:
-
Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-derived fractional flow reserve
- ICA:
-
Invasive coronary angiography
- LAD:
-
Left anterior descending artery
- MACEs:
-
Major adverse cardiovascular events
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Acknowledgements
We thank the clinical support by Dr. Zeyu Xiao. We thank Keya medical (Shenzhen, Guangdong, China) for providing the support of deep learning-based CT-FFR product.
Funding
This study is supported by grand from Guangzhou Science and Technology Plan Project (Grant Number: 201807010046), Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging for Clinical Translation (Grant Number:201905010003), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (Grant Number: 2019A1515011463), the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, China (Grant Number: 2018A050506031, 2019B010110001), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Number: 61771464, U1801265, 82001910), and Medical Scientific Research Foundation of Guangdong Province of China (Grant Number: A2018132).
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The scientific guarantor of this publication is Changzheng Shi.
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Liu, X., Mo, X., Zhang, H. et al. A 2-year investigation of the impact of the computed tomography–derived fractional flow reserve calculated using a deep learning algorithm on routine decision-making for coronary artery disease management. Eur Radiol 31, 7039–7046 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-021-07771-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-021-07771-7