Toward non-clinical validation of fractional flow reserve simulation software: A generic coronary artery geometry.

Abstract

Medical image-based diagnostic techniques have become increasingly common in the clinic. Estimating fractional flow reserve in coronary stenoses from medical image data is among the most prominent examples. The modeling techniques used in these clinical tools require rigorous experimental validation yet there is currently no standardized, public toolset to help assess model credibility. In this study, we present a generic coronary artery lumen geometry which will form the basis for a future publicly available validation database. We characterize the geometry using proximal and distal diameters along with the mean curvature, total curvature, total torsion, and tortuosity index. The coronary lumen geometry balances anatomic fidelity and simplicity with integration into a future experimental mock circulatory loop in mind. The lumen geometry, along with the data produced by our future work, will be made available for public use in FDA's Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories Regulatory Science Tool Catalog.