Mortality impact of low CAC density predominantly occurs in early atherosclerosis: explainable ML in the CAC consortium.

Background: Machine learning (ML) models of risk prediction with coronary artery calcium (CAC) and CAC characteristics exhibit high performance, but are not inherently interpretable.

Objectives: To determine the direction and magnitude of impact of CAC characteristics on 10-year all-cause mortality (ACM) with explainable ML.

Methods: We analyzed asymptomatic subjects in the CAC consortium.

Vessel-specific plaque features on coronary computed tomography angiography among patients of varying atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk.

Aims: The relationship between AtheroSclerotic CardioVascular Disease (ASCVD) risk and vessel-specific plaque evaluation using coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), focusing on plaque extent and composition, has not been examined. To evaluate differences in quantified plaque characteristics (using CCTA) between the three major coronary arteries [left anterior descending (LAD), right coronary (RCA), and left circumflex (LCx)] among subgroups of patients with varying ASCVD risk.

Methods And Results: Patients were included from a prospective, international registry of consecutive patients who underwent CCTA for evaluation of coronary artery disease.