FFR-CT Interpretation

What Is Coronary CT Angiography?

• High-resolution imaging: Coronary CTA utilizes a state-of-the-art CT scanner synchronized with the cardiac cycle to visualize the coronary arteries that supply the heart muscle.
• Early detection: It identifies early atherosclerotic plaques, calcifications, or stenosis before clinical symptoms arise.
• Non-invasive, outpatient procedure: Rapid, with no hospitalization or recovery time required. Intravenous contrast may be used to enhance the visualization of vessels and facilitate functional assessment.
• Decision-making tool: Guides clinical management—whether to continue conservative follow-up, initiate medical therapy, or refer for catheterization. It is a safe, advanced alternative for the initial evaluation of chest pain or coronary heart disease risk.

What Is FFR-CT Interpretation?

FFR-CT (Fractional Flow Reserve from CT) utilizes cutting-edge, AI-driven technology to simulate blood flow within the coronary arteries visualized on CTA and assess whether any stenosis impairs myocardial perfusion. Not every narrowing visible on CTA significantly affects heart function; FFR-CT quantifies the actual physiological impact of a lesion.

Who Is FFR-CT Interpretation For?

• Symptomatic stable patients with suspected ischemic heart disease—chest pain, exertional dyspnea, or unexplained chronic fatigue.
• Equivocal CTA findings, when the severity of coronary stenosis on standard imaging is unclear. FFR-CT provides an accurate physiological assessment of the impact of stenosis.
• High cardiovascular risk patients—diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or family history of heart disease—who benefit from precise risk stratification.
• Patients requiring a decision on invasive catheterization: FFR-CT helps determine whether catheterization is clinically indicated.
• Multi-vessel disease cases: Identifies which lesions truly require intervention and which can be managed conservatively.

Advantages of FFR-CT After Coronary CTA

• Definitive clinical information: Accurately assesses whether a stenosis is hemodynamically significant.
• Avoids unnecessary invasive procedures: Reduces needless catheterizations or stent placements with associated radiation burden when not medically justified.
• Targeted intervention planning: Pinpoints the exact vascular segment requiring treatment, enabling focused and efficient catheterization when necessary.
• Improves outcomes: Guides balanced decision-making between medical management and interventional approaches, reducing complications and optimizing patient care.
• Aligns with modern cardiology standards: FFR-CT is recognized as a leading non-invasive modality in the contemporary assessment of coronary disease.
• International collaboration. We work in partnership with one of the foremost cardiac centers in the United States Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center and Texas Heart Institute (Houston) ensuring the highest standards of interpretation and clinical recommendations.

Why Add FFR-CT to Standard CTA Interpretation?

• Complements anatomical imaging: While CTA shows vessel structure and degree of narrowing, it cannot determine the functional significance of a lesion.
• Physiological insight: FFR-CT quantifies the downstream impact of stenosis on myocardial blood flow, distinguishing clinically meaningful lesions from those that are benign.
• Reduces diagnostic uncertainty: Integrating anatomical and physiological data leads to more informed and confident treatment decisions without relying solely on suspicion.
• Minimizes unnecessary diagnostics: Decreases the need for invasive FFR measurements, sparing patients from procedural risks and radiation.

How Is FFR-CT Interpretation Performed?

1. Data transfer: Your coronary CTA images are securely uploaded to the RDG-Imaging platform.
2. AI-driven analysis: Advanced medical AI software simulates cardiac blood flow and generates detailed physiological maps of coronary perfusion.
3. Expert review: A specialized cardiac radiologist reviews and validates the AI findings.
4. No invasive catheterization, anesthesia, or hospitalization is required.