[Evaluation of coronary blood flow using digital subtraction technique and cine coronary angiography: a preliminary...

To evaluate coronary circulation in ischemic heart disease, digital image processing with cine coronary angiography was performed. Using time-density curves obtained from individual pixels, images showing the distribution of contrast density and transit time were obtained. To record angiograms, contrast medium was injected into the coronary artery in a steady manner during right atrial pacing. Frames in the end-diastolic phase immediately before the P wave were selected, and digitized into a 512 x 512 x 8 bit matrix using a system composed of a video camera, an analog-to-digital converter, and a computer. These digitized images were then stored in a disk memory. A mask image was prepared before the injection of contrast medium. Subtraction was performed using the mask image and a series of images following contrast injection. The subtracted images were of sufficient quality to permit clear observation of the individual coronary arterial branches. Time-density curves were then determined from these subtracted images. From these curves, time from the onset of contrast injection to its peak density (Tp), time from the peak density to the half peak density (T 1/2) and the attenuation factor of the curves (tau) were derived. Their distributions were expressed as color images. Examples of a normal control and a case of inferior infarction were demonstrated. Blood flow function images with good spatial resolution were thus obtained. This method is useful for evaluating coronary blood flow.