NOn-invasive assessmenT Of coRonary mIcrOvascUlar dysfunction: EDIT-NOTORIOUS

Heart disease in women is often underdiagnosed due to differences in pathophysiology compared to men. While men typically experience coronary artery obstruction from atherosclerosis, women more commonly suffer from vasomotor dysfunction (CVDys), affecting smaller coronary arteries. Diagnosis of CVDys requires invasive coronary function testing (CFT), which is costly, risky, and usually performed only after several inconclusive procedures. To improve early detection, this study investigates whether existing coronary angiography and CT images—commonly acquired during initial cardiac evaluations—can be used to diagnose CVDys in a less invasive way. The project includes two interrelated work packages: one using clinical trials to link imaging parameters to CFT findings, and another analyzing national registry data. The goal is to identify reliable imaging biomarkers that correlate with CFT results. These findings will be used to develop diagnostic software in collaboration with Pie Medical Imaging, significantly reducing the average 3–4 year diagnostic delay for mostly female CVDys patients.

Women with vasomotor dysfunction (CVDys) face long diagnostic delays, ongoing symptoms, and reduced quality of life. This project proposes non-invasive or minimally invasive methods to accelerate diagnosis, avoid repeated invasive procedures, and improve patient comfort and care. In the short term, these approaches can cut healthcare costs and improve treatment. Long term, they will expand access to timely diagnosis even in non-specialist centers, reducing overall healthcare use and advancing heart disease care for women.

The project will assess these novel methods in a trial in which patients undergo both CT and invasive assessment of coronary artery disease, as well as invasive measurements.

The main deliverables will be software to assess CVDys based on CT or coronary angiography.