Restenosis revisited: insights provided by quantitative coronary angiography

In this editorial, the problem of restenosis after coronary balloon angioplasty and other transluminal interventions is reviewed from the perspective of quantitative coronary angiography. The review is largely based on the experience of the Thoraxcentre in the application of quantitative angiography to the study of restenosis over the past decade, with incorporation and discussion of relevant and significant contributions from other groups. Current discrepancies in the angiographic definition of restenosis are highlighted and the use of percent diameter stenosis or MLD as the measurement parameter of choice is objectively addressed. Perspectives on the pathologic paradigm of restenosis are briefly reviewed as a basis from which to evaluate quantitative angiographic information provided by various studies. Particular attention is then paid, in chronologic fashion, to discussion and elaboration of insights to the restenosis process provided by quantitative angiographic studies, which have led to the introduction of some new methodological approaches to the comparison of short- and long-term angiographic luminal changes after various interventions. A word of caution on the potential pitfalls of quantitative angiographic studies is provided and counterbalanced with a discussion of clinical correlations of quantitative angiographic measurements. Finally, a proposal is made for the application of quantitative angiographic measurements to randomized clinical trials for the purpose of comparing new interventional devices.