Clinical Trials Show Benefits of iFR Compared to FFR

Results from several studies indicate that the adoption of instant wave-Free Ratio (iFR) instead of Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) for the assessment of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is a more cost-effective, and faster diagnostic solution.

The two clinical trials were the largest randomized coronary physiology outcome studies that have been carried out to date, and included 4,529 patients. The two trials also showed that iFR could nearly eliminate severe patient symptoms completely, compared to FFR.


The results of the two large trials, that took place in 49 centers in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America were announced by Royal Philips and were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The iFR index was developed by Philips, to enable hyperemia-free physiological assessment of blockages in coronary arteries.

Business Leader at Philips Volcano, Christopher Barys, said, “The clinical validation of our innovations is a critical element of our strategy in image-guided therapy. The outcomes of these clinical studies underpin the value of iFR and its benefits for patient safety and effective diagnoses. It is our hope that the results advance the adoption of iFR to help physicians improve patient care. This is one of the largest coronary physiologic datasets ever collected and truly demonstrates the value of iFR in the physiological assessment of coronary artery disease in patients.”