The Impact of Distal Pressure Sensor Placement and Side Branches on Virtual Fractional Flow Reserve

Abstract

Virtual fractional flow reserve (vFFR) derived from invasive X-ray coronary angiograms was predicted using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) research tools. X-ray angiographic projections, > 35° apart, were used to construct the lumen centrelines and elliptical cross-sectional contours. By sysematically excluding the proximal and distal side branches (SBs), we uncovered the effect of coronary flow divergence at the bifurcation and its impact on vFFR. CFD analyses also provided insights into the haemodyanmics in the diseased arterial segment. Complicated flow phenomena were demonstrated in the diseased arterial segement, including recirculating flow structures, that have led to substantial f..