Daniëlle C.J. Keulards1, MD; Marcel Van 't Veer1,2, MSc, PhD; Jo M. Zelis1, MD; Mohamed el Farissi1, MD; Frederik M. Zimmermann1, MD; Annemiek de Vos1, MD; Koen Teeuwen1, MD, PhD; Guus R.G. Brueren1, MD, PhD; Inge F. Wijnbergen1, MD, PhD; Pieter-Jan Vlaar1, MD, PhD; Pim A.L. Tonino1,2, MD, PhD; Nico H.J. Pijls1,2, MD, PhD
1. Catharina Hospital Eindhoven, Eindhoven, the Netherlands; 2. Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
Introduction
Assessment of the microcirculation of the heart has gained interest over recent years. This is partly due to the fact that up to 50% of patients with chest pain visiting the catheterisation laboratory do not present with significant epicardial stenosis (so-called angina with non-obstructive coronary artery disease [ANOCA])1.
Most knowledge regarding microvascular resistance has come from non-invasive imaging, from invasive index of microvascular resistance2, or from Doppler wires3, all of which are semi-quantitative and operator-dependent.
Recently, direct quantitative measurement of coronary blood flow and microvascular resistance has become possible by thermodilution with saline infusion, using a pressure-temperature ...