Comparative Analysis of Morphometric Data on Internal Diameters of Segments Forming Bifurcations in Corrosion Casts of Human Coronary Arteries and Their Calculation Using Contemporary Methods

Abstract

Background. The study of human coronary arteries (HCA) as a fractal system composed of arterial bifurcations (AB) has proven promising and effectiveness in the development of digital methods for diagnosing and treating vascular pathology. However, at present, there is no consensus among researchers regarding the theory of the optimal structure of HCA bifurcations and the methodology for calculating the internal diameters of arterial segments (AS) that form these bifurcations under normal conditions.
Objective. To conduct a comparative analysis of morphometric data from real normal HCA and contemporary numerical modeling methods for calculating diameters of segments forming AB.
Methods. A comparative study was carried out on the internal diameters of 2,072 AS comprising 1,078 AB from 60 corrosion casts of HCA obtained from hearts of both sexes, aged 36 to 74 years, without signs of pathology. Morphometric measurements were compared with values calculated using established equations, proposed by Mette S. Olufsen and G. Finet.
Results. It was found that the internal diameters of AS forming HCA bifurcations, obtained by morphometry of corrosion casts and by calculations using the equations of Mette S. Olufsen and G. Finet, differ significantly.
Conclusion. For numerical modeling of realistic HCA geometry as a fractal structure composed of heterogeneous AB, the use of the equations proposed Mette S. Olufsen and G. Finet would not be appropriate. At present, there is no universally accepted theory of the optimal structure of HCA bifurcations, and consequently, no established technology for numerical modeling of realistic vascular geometry.