Angiographic and IVUS Criteria Defining Physiologic Optimization By the Fractional Flow Reserve After DES Implantation

Invasive imaging criteria of the Coronary arteriography (CAG) and intravascular ultrasound imaging (IVUS), satisfying procedural optimization after drug eluting stent (DES) implantation, were used in < 10% DS by CAG and 5-5.5mm2 MSA by IVUS. Whether these criteria satisfy not only relieving visible stenosis but also relieving lesion specific ischemia or not were unclear. Fractional flow reserve (FFR), an index of lesion specific ischemia, was proposed 0.9 as a physiologic criteria satisfying successful stent implantation by previous studies with bare metal stent. FFR after drug-eluting stent implantation can be an useful predictor for clinical outcome. But, direct comparative evaluation of the invasive imaging criteria defining as an indicator relieving myocardial ischemia were not reported. The aim of this study was to investigate angiographic and IVUS parameters in which corresponding FFR and evaluate their optimal physiologic criteria after DES implantation.