Comparison of different cardiac risk scores for coronary artery disease in symptomatic women: do female-specific risk factors matter?

Background: Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in women and there is a need for more accurate risk assessment scores. The aims of our study were to compare the accuracy of several widely used cardiac risk assessment scores in predicting the likelihood of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) on CT coronary angiography (CTCA) in symptomatic women and to explore which female-specific risk factors were independent predictors of obstructive CAD on CTCA and whether adding these risk factors to pre-test probability scores would improve their predictive value.

Methods And Results: Data were obtained from a cohort of 228 consecutively included symptomatic women undergoing evaluation for CAD and referred for CTCA.

Combined non-invasive functional and anatomical diagnostic work-up in clinical practice: the magnetic resonance and computed tomography in suspected coronary artery disease (MARCC) study.

Aims: The combined use of cardiac computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography (CTCA) and myocardial perfusion imaging allows the non-invasive evaluation of coronary morphology and function. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has several advantages: it can simultaneously assess myocardial perfusion, ventricular and valvular function, cardiomyopathy, and aortic disease and does not involve any additional ionizing radiation. We investigated the combined use of cardiac CT and CMR for the diagnostic evaluation of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) in clinical practice.

Positive predictive value of computed tomography coronary angiography in clinical practice.

Background: Several studies have investigated the diagnostic performance of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) for the detection of significant coronary artery disease (CAD). These studies were performed in patients that were already referred for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and prevalence of significant CAD was high. Although the negative predictive value of CTCA was consistently high, a wide range of positive predictive values (PPVs) was reported.

Comparison of dual to single contrast bolus magnetic resonance myocardial perfusion imaging for detection of significant coronary artery disease.

Purpose: To investigate the incremental diagnostic value of dual-bolus over single-contrast-bolus first pass magnetic resonance myocardial perfusion imaging (MR-MPI) for detection of significant coronary artery disease (CAD).

Materials And Methods: Patients (n = 49) with suspected CAD underwent first pass adenosine stress and rest MR-MPI and invasive coronary angiography (CA). Gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) was injected with a prebolus (1 mL) and a large bolus (0.

Low to intermediate probability of coronary artery disease: comparison of coronary CT angiography with first-pass MR myocardial perfusion imaging.

Purpose: To compare coronary computed tomographic (CT) angiography with first-pass magnetic resonance (MR) myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with chest pain and low to intermediate probability of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Materials And Methods: Local ethics committee approval and patient written informed consent were obtained. Patients with chest pain and low to intermediate pretest probability of CAD underwent both coronary CT angiography and MR myocardial perfusion imaging.

Improved correction of spatial inhomogeneities of surface coils in quantitative analysis of first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging.

Purpose: To test whether image normalization using either a separate 3D proton-density (PD)-weighted prescan, or 2D PD-weighted images prior to the perfusion series, improves correction of differences in spatial sensitivity induced by radiofrequency (RF) surface receiver coils. Originally, this correction was applied using the baseline signal in the myocardium before arrival of the contrast agent. This is of importance, as quantitative analysis of magnetic resonance (MR) myocardial perfusion using deconvolution with the arterial input assumes equal signal sensitivity over the heart.