Detection of coronary artery calcification with nontriggered computed tomography of the chest

• Main Authors: Gustavo Lemos Pelandré, Nathália Martins Pereira Sanches, Marcelo Souto Nacif, Edson Marchiori
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colégio Brasileiro de Radiologia e Diagnóstico por Imagem
• Series: Radiologia Brasileira
• Subjects: Tomografia computadorizada; Doenças cardiovasculares; Doença das coronárias
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-39842018000100008&lng=en&tlng=en

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of visual analysis and of the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score in nontriggered computed tomography (CT), in comparison with that of the CAC score in electrocardiogram-triggered CT, in identifying coronary calcification. Materials and Methods: A total of 174 patients for whom CT was indicated for CAC scoring underwent nontriggered and triggered CT in a 64-channel multislice scanner, in a single session without a change in position. The images were interpreted by a radiologist with seven years of experience in thoracic and cardiovascular radiology. The measurement of coronary calcium was carried out by three methods: CAC score with dedicated software in nontriggered CT, CAC score with dedicated software in triggered CT, and visual analysis without dedicated software in nontriggered CT. Results: In nontriggered CT, the CAC score presented an accuracy of 95.98% (95% CI: 91.93-98.04). The visual analysis showed an accuracy of 97.13% (95% CI: 93.45-98.77). Conclusion: Nontriggered CT showed excellent accuracy in the identification and exclusion of coronary calcification, either the CAC score was determined with dedicated software or through visual analysis.