Consensus of the National Heart Center in collaboration With the Saudi Arabian Cardiac Interventional Society on the Clinical Use of Intracoronary Imaging.

Objectives: Studies show that intracoronary imaging (ICI)-guided PCI is associated with a significantly lower risk of stroke, Q-wave myocardial infarction, and death compared to angiography-guided PCI in the management of acute coronary syndromes, complex coronary lesions and left-main interventions. Despite these well-established clinical benefits, the utilization of ICI-guided PCI in Saudi Arabia remains suboptimal.

Methods: The National Heart Center (NHC) and the Saudi Arabian Cardiac Interventional Society (SACIS) gathered national experts to develop a consensus document on how to integrate ICI-guided PCI in routine clinical practice in Saudi Arabia. The consensus was based on the nominal group technique, whereby a committee of interventional cardiologists affiliated with the NHS and SACIS developed and discussed a number of statements on the clinical use of intracoronary imaging based on a systematic review of the literature.

Results: A total of 17 statements were discussed in light of scientific evidence and agreed upon. Initiatives to improve operator skills when it comes to image acquisition and interpretation are crucial in the incorporation of ICI-imaging guided PCI in Saudi Arabia. Local data on reference diameters and measurements and epidemiological data on Saudi patients being treated in catheterization laboratories are necessary.

Conclusions: Herein, we provide the first national consensus on the use of ICI-guided PCI in Saudi Arabia. We anticipate that this document contributes to a more optimal and integrative use of ICI-guided PCI in the Kingdom.