～the History of FRIENDS Live

In 1998, the first meeting of the Society of Coronary Pressure was held by Professor Chiharu Ibukiyama of Tokyo Medical University, initiating clinical research using Pressure Wire (Radi Medical, Inc. at that time). The third meeting of the Society of Coronary Pressure was organized by Professor Tetsu Yamaguchi in collaboration with the Japanese Society of Cardiovascular Imaging which evolved into the Japanese Society of Cardiovascular Imaging & Dynamics the following year.
However, pressure wires were considered unconventional in coronary interventions, which were prevalent at the time, and their use was declining year by year. We felt strongly that steady educational activities are necessary, we held the FFR Workshop Japan in Hakone in 2006 to promote the clinical usefulness of Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR). Since then, the workshop has been held every spring in Hakone for two days to learn the basics and clinical aspects of coronary circulation, and it has been held up to the 10th workshop.
In the meantime, the FAME study was presented at the TCT in 2008, leading to a V-recovery in the demand for pressure wires. The FAME II study was presented, and proof of functional ischemia became required by insurance to determine the indication for PCI, which led to widespread acceptance of FFR and an exponential increase in its use. The FFR Workshop concluded in 2015 with its 10th meeting, having fulfilled its role. The following year, in 2016, the FFR Workshop evolved into FRIENDS Live, a series of lectures on the fundamentals of coronary circulation with live demonstrations to show its usefulness in actual clinical practice.

n 2025, we will return to the first step and co-host FRIENDS Live and the Japanese Society of Cardiovascular Imaging & Dynamics. We will be breaking new ground by incorporating a wide range of topics from the basics of coronary circulation to clinical practice, research, and even collaboration with other modalities.

～Next Chapter Created by the Fusion of Imaging × Physiology～

By taking on numerous challenges, we will create new chemical reactions, and imagine and create a world that has yet to be seen. We hope that you will join us and support us as we continue to pass this spirit on to the next generation.

President: Nobuhiro Tanaka, (Tokyo Medical University Hachioji Medical Center)