Collective flow from the intranuclear cascade model.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Keane.
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BACKGROUND: Computerized quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) has fundamentally altered our approach to the assessment of coronary interventional techniques and strategies aimed at the prevention of recurrence and progression of stenosis. It is essential, therefore, that the performance of QCA systems, upon which much of our scientific understanding has become integrally dependent, is evaluated in an objective and uniform manner. METHODS AND RESULTS: We validated 10 QCA systems at core laboratories in North America and Europe. Cine films were made of phantom stenoses of known diameter (0.5 to 1.9 mm) under four experimental conditions: in vivo (coronary arteries of pigs) calibrated at the isocenter or by use of the catheter as a scaling device and in vitro with 50% contrast and 100% contrast. The cine films were analyzed by each automated QCA system without observer interaction. Accuracy and precision were taken as the mean and SD of the signed differences between the phantom stenoses, and the measured minimal luminal diameters and the correlation coefficient (r), the SEE, the y intercept, and the slope were derived by their linear regression. Performance of the 10 QCA systems ranged widely: accuracy, +0.07 to +0.31 mm; precision, +/- 0.14 to +/- 0.24 mm; correlation (r), .96 to .89; SEE, +/- 0.11 to +/- 0.16 mm; intercept, +0.08 to +0.31 mm; and slope, 0.86 to 0.64. CONCLUSIONS: There is a marked variability in performance between systems when assessed over the range of 0.5 to 1.9 mm. The range of accuracy, intercept, and slope values of this report indicates that absolute measurements of luminal diameter from different multicenter angiographic trials may not be directly comparable and additionally suggests that such absolute measurements may not be directly applicable to clinical practice using an on-line QCA system with a different edge detection algorithm. Power calculations and study design of angiographic trials should be adjusted for the precision of the QCA system used to avoid the risk of failing to detect small differences in patient populations. This study may guide the fine-tuning of algorithms incorporated within each system and facilitate the maintenance of high standards of QCA for scientific studies.
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The reliability of quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) measurements is of fundamental importance for the study and practice of interventional cardiology. In vivo validation results have consistently reported a tendency for QCA systems to overestimate small luminal diameters. Such a systematic error may result in the underestimation of luminal gain during intracoronary procedures and in the underestimation of progression of coronary artery disease during longitudinal studies. We report the in vivo validation results of an experimental adaptive edge-detection algorithm that was developed to reduce overestimation of small luminal diameters by incorporating a dynamic function of variable kernel size of the derivative operator and variable weighting of the first and second derivatives of the brightness profile. The results of the experimental algorithm were compared to those of the conventional parent edge detection algorithm with fixed parameters. Dynamic adjustment of the edge-detection algorithm parameters was found to improve measurements of small (< 0.8-mm) luminal diameters as evidenced by an intercept of +.07 mm for the algorithm with variable weighting compared to +0.21 mm for the parent algorithm with fixed weighting. A slope of < 1 was found for both the parent and experimental algorithms with subsequent underestimation of large luminal diameters. Systematic errors in a QCA system can be identified and corrected by the execution of objective in vivo validation studies and the consequent refinement of edge-detection algorithms. The overestimation of small luminal diameters may be overcome by the incorporation of a dynamic edge-detection algorithm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Although use of videotape for the recording of coronary angiograms continues to grow, the validity of quantitative coronary angiographic analysis of video images remains unknown. To estimate the reliability of angiographic images recorded on videotape, experimental and clinical angiograms were recorded simultaneously on both 35 mm cinefilm and super-VHS videotape with normal images and with spatial filtering of the images (edge enhancement) on a digital cardiac imaging system. The experimental angiographic studies were performed with plexiglass blocks and stenosis phantom of 0.5 to 3.0 mm in diameter. The clinical angiograms were recorded in 20 patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (31 frames before and 20 frames after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty). The cinefilm and corresponding videotapes were analyzed off-line with the new version of the coronary angiography analysis system. For the experimental study, measurements of minimal luminal diameter obtained from cinefilm, normal-image videotape, and edge-enhanced videotape were compared with the true phantom diameter. In the clinical study the agreement between measurements obtained from cinefilm and measurements from normal-image videotape and edge-enhanced videotape was examined. In the phantom series the accuracy and precision of quantitative coronary angiography measurement for cinefilm were -0.10 +/- 0.08 mm, for normal-image videotape -0.11 +/- 0.18 mm, and for edge-enhanced videotape -0.10 +/- 0.11 mm (mean +/- SD). In the clinical series, the differences between measurements from cinefilm and normal-image videotape were 0.14 +/- 0.20 mm and from cinefilm and edge-enhanced videotape 0.04 +/- 0.13 mm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
High-speed rotational coronary atherectomy (RA) is primarily used to treat complex lesions. Quantitative angiographic analysis of such complex lesions by edge detection is often unsuitable, whereas videodensitometry, measuring vessel dimensions independently of the target stenosis contours, may offer potential advantages. To gain insight into the operative mechanism of RA and to study the agreement between the two quantitative angiographic methods in measuring the minimal luminal cross-sectional area, the edge detection and videodensitometry techniques were applied to coronary angiograms of 21 lesions in 19 patients with symptoms who underwent successful RA and balloon angioplasty (BA). Obstruction diameter as determined by edge detection increased from 1.00 +/- 0.31 mm before intervention to 1.35 +/- 0.29 mm after RA (p < 0.001) and further increased to 1.74 +/- 0.33 mm after adjunctive BA (p > 0.001). The mean between-method difference (edge detection minus videodensitometry) was 0.34 mm2 before intervention, 0.13 mm2 after RA, and 0.09 mm2 after adjunctive BA (not significant). The standard deviation of the differences decreased from +/- 0.87 mm2 before intervention to +/- 0.80 mm2 after RA (not significant) and increased after BA significantly to +/- 1.21 mm2 (p < 0.05). Thus edge detection and videodensitometry provided equivalent immediate angiographic results after RA and adjunctive BA. The good agreement after RA may reflect the operative mechanism of RA, which by ablation of noncompliant plaque material yields a circular symmetric lumen with smooth surface. The increased dispersion of the between-method differences observed after adjunctive BA presumably results from dissections, plaque ruptures, and loss of luminal smoothness after balloon dilatation.
Sperm-bound antisperm antibody levels were measured in 10 males in subfertile partnerships who were treated with high dose intermittent prednisolone therapy over a period up to 9 months. Antibody levels fell in all patients during therapy, although a transient rise occurred after 2-4 months. There were low treatment complication rates. Four pregnancies occurred during the treatment of the 10 patients. There was no correlation between pregnancy and change in antibody.
OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine whether the location of coronary spastic activity may change over time in patients with persistent variant angina. BACKGROUND: Although electrocardiographic studies have provided indirect evidence to indicate that the location of ischemia may change in patients with variant angina, it has not been tested by quantitative angiography whether the location of vasospastic activity may change over time. METHODS: Paired ergonovine provocation tests and coronary angiography were performed at a mean (+/- SD) interval of 43 +/- 13 months apart in patients with persistent symptoms of vasospastic angina in the absence of significant atherosclerosis. A total of 87 spastic and nonspastic segments of 87 major vessels in 29 patients were analyzed by quantitative angiography at baseline, after the administration of ergonovine and after isosorbide dinitrate at the initial and follow-up tests. RESULTS: In 13 patients (group 1), coronary spasm was observed in the same 16 coronary segments at both the initial and follow-up ergonovine provocation tests. In 16 patients (group 2), the following angiographic changes occurred between the initial and follow-up tests in 48 major vessels: Of the 23 segments that developed spasm at the initial test, 10 did not have spasm at the follow-up test; of the 25 vessels that did not demonstrate spasm on the initial test, 12 demonstrated spasm on the follow-up test (a new site of spasm). Thus, in 22 (46%) of 48 vessels, fluctuation of spastic location was observed at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Quantitative coronary angiography and repeated ergonovine tests revealed that some patients with persistent vasospastic angina demonstrate fluctuation of vasospastic location, whereas others exhibit a fixed location of vasospasm. Vasospastic angina may not only be a transient disease restricted in location, but may also be a persistent and variable condition involving multiple vessels over many years.
One of the main areas of interest in interventional cardiology is the understanding, and ultimate prevention of restenosis after an initially successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. Restenosis is the recurrence of luminal narrowing following angioplasty, and still frustrates the late results in the treatment of angina pectoris. Experimental, pathological and clinical studies suggest that restenosis may occur via activation of the coagulation cascade, platelet activation and thrombus formation. Thrombin itself is identified as the most potent platelet activator, and has a pivotal role in the coagulation system. Furthermore, thrombin directly mediates smooth muscle cell proliferation by stimulating thrombin receptors at the smooth muscle cell surface. Thrombus indirectly induces excessive intimal smooth muscle cell proliferation by means of released mitogens (growth factors), which may contribute to late restenosis. Therefore direct and irreversible thrombin blockade by hirudin is deemed to be effective in the prevention of restenosis following angioplasty. The HELVETICA trial is a multicentre, randomized, double-blind heparin-controlled study, designed to compare the effects of two dose regimens of recombinant-hirudin (CGP 39,393/TMRevasc) with those of heparin on event-free survival, safety, tolerability and luminal renarrowing using quantitative coronary angiography no later than 26 weeks after the coronary angioplasty procedure.
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The detection of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients requiring a permanent pacemaker for sinus node disease may influence the choice of both pacemaker and programmed mode. While signal-averaged ECG of the P wave (SAEP) during sinus rhythm may detect patients with paroxysmal AF, the value of SAEP in the presence of sinus node disease is unknown. We therefore evaluated SAEP in patients with sinus node disease during sinus rhythm and atrial pacing. We investigated 10 patients with sinus node disease alone (SND), 10 with sinus node disease and paroxysmal AF (SND-PAF), and 20 normal controls (NC) using a P wave specific, signal-averaging system. In sinus rhythm, duration and energy were greater in SND-PAF than in SND and NC (mean [SEM] duration: 153 [4] msec, 140 [4] msec, and 134 [2] msec, P < 0.001; energy from 20-150 Hz: 76 [18] muV2.sec, 48 [7] muV2.sec, and 36 [3] muV2.sec, P = 0.006). Atrial pacing in SND-PAF produced an 11% prolongation of atrial activation but little further abnormality in P wave characteristics. In SND, atrial pacing caused a 20% prolongation of the P wave and increased P wave energy to a greater extent than in SND-PAF. We conclude that in patients with SND, atrial activation appears similar to normal controls during sinus rhythm but changes significantly on pacing. In patients with SND-PAF, atrial activation is abnormal during sinus rhythm with little further change when the atrium is paced. SAEP may be useful in detecting a predisposition to paroxysmal AF in the presence of sinus node disease and might help optimize pacemaker prescription.
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Quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) is a validated and widely accepted method to investigate changes in arterial dimension over time. Calibration of measurements is enabled by the use of the coronary catheter as a scaling device. The dimensions and laminar composition of coronary catheters, however, have changed significantly over recent years and the suitability of the current generation of coronary catheters for calibration purposes has not been validated. We therefore recorded 57 coronary guiding catheters on cinefilm, and compared their automated quantitative measurements (Cardiovascular Angiography Analysis System, CAAS) with their true values (precision micrometer). We found an overall underestimation of quantitatively derived dimensions, ranging from -8.9 to +4% for water-filled catheters and from -15.5 to -3.9% for contrast-filled catheters. In conclusion, while the current generation of coronary guiding catheters shows a wide variety in radiological quality, it can be clearly detected by the CAAS system, and is suitable for calibration of QCA measurements (with the exception of the DVI atherectomy catheter), provided that calibration is done on contrast-empty catheters.
Changes in intracoronary volume reflect the hemodynamic significance of progression or regression of diffuse coronary artery disease where intracoronary catheters cannot be applied for direct measurements due to small vessel dimensions. We have validated the videodensitometric measurement of intracoronary volume with epoxy casts of postmortem human coronary arteries. The volume of 31 coronary segments (cross-sectional areas in a range of 2-13 mm2) measured by fluid-filling using a precision dispenser was compared with the respective single plane intracoronary volume assessments obtained by the videodensitometric algorithm of the new generation Cardiovascular Angiography Analysis System (CAAS II). The true and measured values of volume were compared by calculation of the mean of the signed differences +/- standard deviation and by linear regression analysis. Videodensitometric measurement of intracoronary volume correlate well with fluid-filling of human coronary artery casts (correlation coefficient: r = 0.99, y = 1.96 +/- 0.99x, standard error of estimate: SEE = 3.96) with a significant trend towards overestimation of true volume values (mean difference = 1.73 +/- 3.64 mm3, P < 0.05). Intracoronary volume estimations can be used to measure changes of luminal dimensions of coronary arteries and may offer a new approach to assessment of progression or regression of diffuse coronary artery disease.