Judkins left catheter size selection during right trans-radial coronary angiography using preprocedural coronary

Abdulameer Jasim Jawad Al-Gburi1

  • 1Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq.

Tzu Chi Medical Journal
|February 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Choosing the right catheter for coronary angiography is key. Ascending aorta size, measured by CT scan, predicts the need for larger catheters, improving procedural success.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Imaging
  • Interventional Cardiology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Proper catheter selection in right trans-radial coronary angiography is crucial for reducing procedure time, costs, and vascular complications.
  • Aortic morphology may influence the choice of catheter size, but this relationship requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between aortic morphological parameters, assessed via computed tomography (CT), and the requirement for larger catheter sizes during right trans-radial coronary angiography.

Main Methods:

  • An observational study involving 206 patients who underwent right trans-radial coronary angiography and prior coronary CT angiography.
  • Patients were divided into two groups: those who successfully used a Judkins left (JL) 3.5 catheter and those requiring a JL 4 or larger catheter.
  • Aortic CT images were analyzed for four morphological variables, including ascending aorta maximal area and length.

Main Results:

  • Significant differences in ascending aorta maximal area and length were observed between the groups.
  • Ascending aorta maximal area (OR 31.82) and length (OR 29.97) were strong predictors for needing a JL 4 or larger catheter.
  • An ascending aorta maximal area cutoff of 12.25 cm² (derived diameter 3.94 cm) demonstrated high sensitivity (94.9%) and specificity (95.2%).

Conclusions:

  • Maximal area and length of the ascending aorta are significant predictors for selecting the appropriate catheter size in right trans-radial coronary angiography.
  • Utilizing CT-derived aortic measurements can aid in optimizing catheter selection, potentially improving procedural outcomes.
Abstract

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