Publications by authors named "Nina Burkhard"
Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether ECG-triggered coronary calcium scoring (CCS) scans can be used for attenuation correction (AC) to quantify myocardial blood flow (MBF) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) assessed by PET/CT with (13)N-ammonia.
Methods: Thirty-five consecutive patients underwent a (13)N-ammonia PET/CT scan at rest and during standard adenosine stress. MBF values were calculated using AC maps obtained from the ECG-triggered CCS scan during inspiration and validated against MBF values calculated using standard non-gated transmission scans for AC.
Objective: The aim of the study was to validate a body mass index (BMI)-adapted contrast material protocol to compensate for the effect of BMI on coronary attenuation during low-dose coronary CT angiography with prospective ECG triggering.
Materials And Methods: One hundred forty patients underwent prospectively ECG-triggered coronary CT angiography for clinical indications. The following BMI-adapted contrast material protocol was used for imaging of 70 consecutively registered patients: BMI < 17.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggered, low dose computed tomography (CT) is increasingly used for attenuation correction in myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with SPECT. The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of relevant noncardiac findings in the field-of-view of such attenuation correction CT scans. Five hundred and eighty-two consecutive patients (211 female, 371 male; mean age: 64 +/- 11 years; BMI: 27.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The goal of this study was to assess the predictive value of myocardial perfusion imaging with (13)N-ammonia positron emission tomography (PET) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) on long-term prognosis in patients with suspected myocardial ischemia.
Background: No prognostic data exist on the predictive value of CFR and (13)N-ammonia PET.
Methods: Perfusion and CFR were assessed in 256 patients using (13)N-ammonia PET, and follow-up was obtained in 245 (96%) patients.
We evaluated the determinants of vessel contrast in prospectively ECG-triggered CT coronary angiography (CTCA). Seventy patients underwent low-dose CTCA using body mass index (BMI)-adapted tube parameters and a fixed contrast material bolus. Contrast to noise ratio (CNR) was calculated from contrast (between coronaries and perivascular tissue) and image noise (standard deviation of aortic attenuation).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this study was to describe and characterize the frequency and extent of stair-step artefacts in computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) with prospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggering and to identify their determinants. One hundred and forty three consecutive patients (55 women, mean age 57 +/- 13 years) underwent 64-slice CTCA using prospective ECG-triggering. Occurrence of stair-step artefacts in CTCA of the thoracic wall and the coronary arteries was determined and maximum offset was measured.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Because an increase in body mass index (weight in kilograms divided by height squared in meters) confers higher image noise at coronary CT angiography, we evaluated a body mass index-adapted scanning protocol for low-dose 64-MDCT coronary angiography with prospective ECG triggering.
Subjects And Methods: One hundred one consecutively registered patients underwent coronary CTA with prospective ECG triggering with a fixed contrast protocol (80 mL of iodixanol, 50-mL saline chaser, flow rate of 5 mL/s). Tube voltage (range, 100-120 kV) and current (range, 450-700 mA) were adapted to body mass index.
Aims: To determine diagnostic accuracy, effective radiation dose, and potential value of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) for hybrid imaging with single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) comparing prospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggering vs. retrospective ECG-gating.
Methods And Results: Two hundred patients underwent standard myocardial stress/rest- SPECT perfusion imaging, which served as standard of reference.
Rationale And Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of mean heart rate (HR) and HR variability on image quality in low-dose computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA) using prospective electrocardiographic (ECG) triggering.
Materials And Methods: One hundred thirty-six consecutive patients were scheduled for low-dose CTCA using prospective ECG triggering. The image quality of all coronary segments was rated on a 5-point scale by two independent readers (scores of 1-3 were considered diagnostic, and scores of 4 and 5 were considered nondiagnostic).
Aims: To evaluate the accuracy of low-dose computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) using prospective ECG-triggering for the assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD).
Methods And Results: A total of 30 patients (19 males, 11 females, mean age 58.8 +/- 9.