Ultra-Low-Contrast PCI: A Structured Approach to Reducing Dependence on Contrast Vessel Opacification in PCI

Since its inception, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has relied upon vessel opacification with iodinated contrast to plan, guide, and assess the results of the procedure. Yet revisiting this fundamental concept is important in contemporary PCI practice, especially in patients with high-risk clinical or anatomical profiles. In addition to decreasing the probability of acute kidney injury during PCI, limiting the volume of iodinated contrast allows the operator to perform more thorough interventions by relying on intracoronary imaging and physiology, ultimately contributing to more complete revascularization and improving the efficacy and durability of the intervention. Ultra-low-contrast PCI (ULCPCI) may thus be useful in performing PCI not only in patients with chronic renal dysfunction but also in those with multivessel coronary artery disease, impaired left ventricular function, and many other scenarios. The aim of this review is to highlight contemporary PCI scenarios in which a ULCPCI approach may be beneficial. The authors provide a structured approach to address the challenges faced by operators in transitioning from conventional contrast-based interventions to ULCPCI, with practical solutions that are accessible to most interventionalists. The reader will learn that ULCPCI is feasible in contemporary practice as a result of technological innovation, the implementation of dedicated skills, and redefining the role of angiography as the cornerstone of contemporary PCI.