Pulmonary Artery Anatomical Characterization: Relevance to Pulmonary Artery Pressure Sensors

In patients with heart failure, guideline-directed medical therapy improves outcomes and requires close patient monitoring. Pulmonary artery pressure monitors permit remote assessment of cardiopulmonary haemodynamics and facilitate early intervention that has been shown to decrease heart failure hospitalization. Pressure sensors implanted in the pulmonary vasculature are stabilized through passive or active interaction with the anatomy and communicate with an external reader to relay invasively measured pressure by radiofrequency. A body mass index (BMI) > 35 kg/m2 and chest circumference >165 cm prevent use due to poor communication. Pulmonary vasculature anatomy is variable between patients and the pulmonary artery size, angulation of vessels and depth of sensor location from the chest wall in heart failure patients who may be candidates for pressure sensors remains largely unexamined. This paper analyzes the size, angulation, and depth of the pulmonary artery at the position of implantation of two pulmonary artery pressure sensors: the CardioMEMS sensor typically implanted in the left pulmonary artery and the Cordella sensor implanted in the right pulmonary artery. Thirty-four computed tomography pulmonary angiograms from heart failure patients were selected for analysis. Distance from the bifurcation of the pulmonary artery to the implant site was shorter for the right pulmonary artery (4.55 ± 0.64 cm vs 7.4 ± 1.3 cm) and vessel diameter at the implant site was larger (17.15 ± 2.87 mm vs 11.83 ± 2.30 mm). Link distance (length of the communication path between sensor and reader) was shorter for the left pulmonary artery (9.40 ± 1.43 mm vs 12.54 ± 1.37 mm). Therefore, the detailed analysis of pulmonary arterial anatomy using computed tomography pulmonary angiograms may alter the choice of implant location to reduce the risk of sensor migration and improve readability by minimizing sensor to reader link distance.