Intermediate
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
culprit vessel
The coronary artery identified as the primary cause of acute coronary syndrome symptoms.
Full Definition
The culprit vessel refers to the specific coronary artery that contains the lesion responsible for causing an acute coronary syndrome, typically identified through clinical presentation, electrocardiographic changes, and angiographic findings. In cases of ST-elevation myocardial infarction, the culprit vessel often shows complete or near-complete occlusion with thrombus. Identification of the culprit vessel guides primary intervention strategy, as it is typically the first target for revascularisation in acute settings.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate when used as an adjective (culprit-vessel intervention). Do not hyphenate when used as a noun.
In Context
- "Angiography revealed the mid-LAD as the culprit vessel with acute thrombotic occlusion." — Primary PCI procedure report
- "Staged intervention of non-culprit vessels was planned following successful primary PCI." — Cardiology discharge summary
Also known as
infarct-related artery
IRA
Contrasted with
non-culprit vessel
Don't confuse with
target vessel
reference vessel