Abstract
Coronary angiograms recorded in the recent phase of an acute my-ocardial infarction in 73 patients were compared with those taken in the remote phase at least 12 months from the onset of the infarction. The infarct-related lesions of 23 patients (32%) showed a regression of 20% or more. Analysis of recent-phase angiograms proved that any one of several features (long-segment narrowing, intraluminal thrombus, flaplike structure or atheromatous ulceration) was present more frequently in the lesions showing a marked regression (18/23, 78%) than in the lesions without regression (15/40, 38%) (p<0.01). Thus, the narrowings of infarct-related lesions seen on the recent-phase angiograms regress frequently. The possibility of regression can be predicted from the angiographic features.
