ABSTRACT
Objective To quantitate coronary tortuosity and provide favorable conditions for understanding the hemodynamic effects caused by coronary tortuosity.Methods We obtained all images from 72 patients who received coronary computed tomo-graphy scanning.After image post-processing,we extracted the medial axis of three main coronary vessel and analysed its coordi-nates on three dimensions.Then we calculated the tortuosity coefficient of coronary artery.Results Tortuosity coefficient was 6.66±7.54 in anterior descending,13.43±12.85 in left circumflex,and 1 7.61 ±7.67 in right coronary artery.We had proved its validity by the changes in morphology with simulated shapes.Conclusion We proposed a new method for quantitating coronary tor-tuosity,by computed tomography coronary imaging.The measurement results would not be affected by projection plane,vessel length or other artificial factors.