Comparative Diagnostic Accuracy of CT-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve and Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography in Stable Coronary Artery Disease: A Systematic Review
Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Background: Accurate non-invasive functional testing is essential for managing stable coronary artery disease (CAD). While Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography (DSE) is widely used, CT-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve (CT-FFR) combines anatomical and physiological data, offering potential diagnostic advantages.
Objective: To systematically evaluate the diagnostic performance of CT-FFR compared to DSE for identifying hemodynamically significant coronary stenoses, using invasive FFR as the reference standard.
Methods: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases identified studies from 2010 to 2025 comparing CT-FFR and DSE in patients with stable CAD. Studies were included if they involved ≥30 patients and used invasive FFR as the reference. Extracted data included sensitivity, specificity, and methodological parameters. Risk of bias was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool. Meta-analysis was not performed due to heterogeneity.
Results: Twelve studies comprising 2,118 patients met inclusion criteria. CT-FFR demonstrated higher sensitivity (82–92%) than DSE (68–80%) in most studies, while specificity was generally comparable. CT-FFR was advantageous in patients with multivessel disease and in cases with limited echocardiographic imaging. Variations in imaging protocols and endpoint definitions introduced some heterogeneity, limiting direct comparisons.
Conclusion: Current evidence supports the superior diagnostic sensitivity of CT-FFR over DSE for detecting functionally significant CAD. CT-FFR’s capacity to simultaneously evaluate coronary anatomy and physiology reinforces its growing role as a preferred first-line non-invasive test. Standardized prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Irannejad, Kyvan
(
lundquist institute at Harbor-UCLA
, Torrance , California , United States )
Niknam, Negar
(
HCA Kingwood Hospital
, Houston , Texas , United States )
Shehzad, Zain
(
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
, Kew Gardens , New York , United States )
Patel, Vidhi
(
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
, Kew Gardens , New York , United States )
Mafi, Mana
(
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
, Kew Gardens , New York , United States )
Lasic, Zoran
(
Lenox Hill Hospital
, New York , New York , United States )
Author Disclosures:
Kyvan Irannejad:DO NOT have relevant financial relationships
| Negar Niknam:DO NOT have relevant financial relationships
| Zain Shehzad:No Answer
| Vidhi Patel:DO NOT have relevant financial relationships
| Mana Mafi:DO NOT have relevant financial relationships
| Zoran Lasic:No Answer