IS FFRCT READY FOR PRIME TIME: HAS NICE BEEN TOO NICE?

Abstract

Chest pain is a common presentation with the potential to represent importantunderlying coronary artery disease. A timely and accurate diagnosis is thereforeof paramount importance from both a prognostic perspective and to planappropriate treatment for relief of symptoms. The current investigative algorithmsproposed in major international guidelines recommend either using a test toassess coronary anatomy or a test of ischaemia. Each of these strategiesindividually does not provide the clinician with the whole picture. We review thepotential of a novel technique that provides both anatomical and functional databy using fluid dynamics to analyse the data acquired at the time of CT coronaryangiography to calculate the fractional flow reserve non-invasively.