OCT tops angiography for spotting vascular changes in heart transplant patients
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) offers superior detection of coronary vascular changes compared to angiography in pediatric heart transplant recipients. The technique can be used to improve the medical management in this population.
Researchers, led by Eimear McGovern, with British Columbia Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, analyzed angiography and OCT images performed on 110 patients who were, on average, 6.5 years removed from cardiac transplantation, according to a July 18 study in JACC: Cardiovascular Imaging.
Results showed 26 cases with evidence of abnormal intima (the innermost layer of an artery or vein) size, and 11 cases with severe intima thickening. Angiographic findings were normal in eight patients with severe thickening. Findings from OCT spurred medical management changes in 17 percent of cases. Those patients had normal angiographic findings.
“Intimal thickening is prevalent in this population and is often angiographically silent,” wrote Eimear McGovern “Our study demonstrated that, even in cases of severe intima thickening, angiography results were most often normal. OCT is readily able to identify structural coronary changes that have not become manifest in the form of lumen narrowing.”
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.