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Updated: Jul 8, 2026
Ultrasound Based Assessment of Coronary Artery Flow and Coronary Flow Reserve Using the Pressure Overload Model in Mice
Published on: April 13, 2015
Comparison between regional myocardial perfusion reserve and coronary flow reserve in the canine heart
M J Geldof1, M J Schalij, V Manger Cats
1Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Hospital, The Netherlands.
Insights
Coronary flow reserve is not a reliable predictor of myocardial perfusion reserve when collateral circulation is present. Both measures offer complementary information for assessing coronary artery stenosis severity.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Medical Imaging
- Interventional Cardiology
Background:
- Coronary artery stenosis severity is assessed by diameter stenosis and flow reserve.
- Flow reserve can be measured at the coronary arterial or myocardial level.
- Functional collateral circulation can cause discrepancies between coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate coronary flow, coronary flow reserve, and myocardial perfusion reserve in a canine model.
- To evaluate these parameters before and after inducing coronary artery stenosis.
- To assess the correlation between coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve in stenotic and non-stenotic arteries with collateral circulation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an open-chest dog model with intact collateral circulation.
- Measured coronary flow using perivascular ultrasonic flow probes.
- Determined myocardial perfusion reserve from digital angiographic images.
Main Results:
- Before stenosis, significant correlations existed between coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve.
- After stenosis induction, both measures decreased significantly in stenotic arteries.
- In adjacent non-stenotic arteries, coronary flow reserve remained unaffected, but myocardial perfusion reserve decreased in the LAD artery, with varying correlations.
Conclusions:
- Coronary flow reserve is not a reliable predictor of myocardial perfusion reserve in the presence of stenosis and functioning collateral circulation.
- Coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve provide mutually complementary information.
- Assessment of coronary artery stenosis requires considering both arterial and myocardial functional parameters.
Abstract:
Diameter stenosis and flow reserve are indices of morphological and functional severity of coronary artery stenosis. Flow reserve can be determined at coronary arterial or at myocardial level. In the presence of functional collateral circulation, coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve may differ. We studied coronary flow, coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve in an open chest dog model with intact collateral circulation, before and after induction of coronary artery stenosis. Coronary flow was determined with perivascular ultrasonic flow probes and myocardial perfusion reserve from digital angiographic images, in the stenotic as well as the adjacent non-stenotic coronary arteries. Before induction of a stenosis, a significant correlation existed between coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve of the left anterior descending (r = 0.59; P < 0.005) and the left circumflex arteries (r = 0.84, P < 0.005). In stenotic arteries, coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve decreased significantly (P < 0.005), but in the adjacent non-stenotic arteries coronary flow reserve was not affected. Myocardial perfusion reserve in the non-stenotic adjacent left anterior descending artery decreased significantly (P < 0.05) and no correlation was found between coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve, whereas in the adjacent non-stenotic left circumflex artery there was no statistically significant decrease (4.1 +/- 1.6 --> 3.5 +/- 1.4) but there was a good correlation between coronary flow reserve and myocardial perfusion reserve (r = 0.85; P < 0.005). This study demonstrates that, in the presence of a stenosis and functioning collateral circulation, coronary flow reserve is not a reliable predictor of myocardial perfusion reserve; both parameters provide mutually complementary information.
