Validation of a Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography Reconstruction Tool for Aortic Valve Calcium Quantification.

Background: Aortic valve calcification correlates with the severity of aortic valve stenosis and a high calcium score is associated with conduction disturbances and paravalvular leakage after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The 3mensio Structural Heart is a semiautomated software package to facilitate aortic root analysis by multislice computed tomography.The aim of the contemporary study is to validate a semiautomated calcium quantification scoring tool with a conventional manual calcium quantification tool.

Effect of minimally invasive autopsy and ethnic background on acceptance of clinical postmortem investigation in adults.

Objectives: Autopsy rates worldwide have dropped significantly over the last five decades. Imaging based autopsies are increasingly used as alternatives to conventional autopsy (CA). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the introduction of minimally invasive autopsy, consisting of CT, MRI and tissue biopsies on the overall autopsy rate (of CA and minimally invasive autopsy) and the autopsy rate among different ethnicities.

Hospital implementation of minimally invasive autopsy: A prospective cohort study of clinical performance and costs.

Objectives: Autopsy rates worldwide have dropped significantly over the last decades and imaging-based autopsies are increasingly used as an alternative to conventional autopsy. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical performance and cost of minimally invasive autopsy.

Methods: This study was part of a prospective cohort study evaluating a newly implemented minimally invasive autopsy consisting of MRI, CT, and biopsies.

Conventional Autopsy versus Minimally Invasive Autopsy with Postmortem MRI, CT, and CT-guided Biopsy: Comparison of Diagnostic Performance.

Purpose To compare the diagnostic performance of minimally invasive autopsy with that of conventional autopsy. Materials and Methods For this prospective, single-center, cross-sectional study in an academic hospital, 295 of 2197 adult cadavers (mean age: 65 years [range, 18-99 years]; age range of male cadavers: 18-99 years; age range of female cadavers: 18-98 years) who died from 2012 through 2014 underwent conventional autopsy. Family consent for minimally invasive autopsy was obtained for 139 of the 295 cadavers; 99 of those 139 cadavers were included in this study.

Diagnostic accuracy of postmortem computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography-guided biopsies for the detection of ischaemic heart disease in a hospital setting.

Aims: The autopsy rate worldwide is alarmingly low (0-15%). Mortality statistics are important, and it is, therefore, essential to perform autopsies in a sufficient proportion of deaths. The imaging autopsy, non-invasive, or minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) can be used as an alternative to the conventional autopsy in an attempt to improve postmortem diagnostics by increasing the number of postmortem procedures.

Total-body CT and MR features of postmortem change in in-hospital deaths.

Objectives: To evaluate the frequency of total-body CT and MR features of postmortem change in in-hospital deaths.

Materials And Methods: In this prospective blinded cross-sectional study, in-hospital deceased adult patients underwent total-body postmortem CT and MR followed by image-guided biopsies. The presence of PMCT and PMMR features related to postmortem change was scored retrospectively and correlated with postmortem time interval, post-resuscitation status and intensive care unit (ICU) admittance.

Autopsy rates in the Netherlands: 35 years of decline.

Objective: Although the autopsy still is a valuable tool in health statistics, health care quality control, medical education, and biomedical research, autopsy rates have been declining worldwide. The aim of this study was to examine trends of overall, clinical and forensic autopsy rates among adults in the Netherlands over the last four decades, and trends per sex, age (groups), and hospital type.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study covering 35 years of Dutch national death counts (1977-2011), the number of in-hospital deceased patients, the number of deaths due to external causes, and the proportion of autopsies performed in these populations.

Autopsy of Adult Patients Deceased in an Academic Hospital: Considerations of Doctors and Next-of-Kin in the Consent Process.

Introduction: Hospital autopsies, vanishing worldwide, need to be requested by clinicians and consented to by next-of-kin. The aim of this prospective observational study was to examine how often and why clinicians do not request an autopsy, and for what reasons next-of-kin allow, or refuse it.

Methods: Clinicians at the Erasmus University Medical Centre were asked to complete a questionnaire when an adult patient had died.

Non-invasive or minimally invasive autopsy compared to conventional autopsy of suspected natural deaths in adults: a systematic review.

Objectives: Autopsies are used for healthcare quality control and improving medical knowledge. Because autopsy rates are declining worldwide, various non-invasive or minimally invasive autopsy methods are now being developed. To investigate whether these might replace the invasive autopsies conventionally performed in naturally deceased adults, we systematically reviewed original prospective validation studies.

Post-mortem tissue biopsies obtained at minimally invasive autopsy: an RNA-quality analysis.

Introduction: Bereaved relatives often refuse to give consent for post-mortem investigation of deceased cancer patients, mainly because of the mutilation due to conventional autopsy (CA). Minimally invasive autopsy (MIA) may be a more acceptable alternative and, if implemented in clinical practice, creates an opportunity to more often obtain post-mortem tissue samples of (recurred) primary tumors and metastases for molecular research. As a measure for tissue quality for molecular studies, we hereby present a feasibility study, comparing the RNA quality of MIA and CA samples, and fresh frozen samples as reference.

Diagnostic performance of computed tomography coronary angiography to detect and exclude left main and/or three-vessel coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To determine the diagnostic performance of CT coronary angiography (CTCA) in detecting and excluding left main (LM) and/or three-vessel CAD ("high-risk" CAD) in symptomatic patients and to compare its discriminatory value with the Duke risk score and calcium score.

Materials And Methods: Between 2004 and 2011, a total of 1,159 symptomatic patients (61 ± 11 years, 31 % women) with stable angina, without prior revascularisation underwent both invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and CTCA. All patients gave written informed consent for the additional CTCA.

Restriction of the referral of patients with stable angina for CT coronary angiography by clinical evaluation and calcium score: impact on clinical decision making.

Objective: To investigate the value of the calcium score (CaSc) plus clinical evaluation to restrict referral for CT coronary angiography (CTCA) by reducing the number of patients with an intermediate probability of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: We retrospectively included 1,975 symptomatic stable patients who underwent clinical evaluation and CaSc calculation and CTCA or invasive coronary coronary angiography (ICA). The outcome was obstructive CAD (≥50 % diameter narrowing) assessed by ICA or CTCA in the absence of ICA.

Vessel specific coronary artery calcium scoring: an automatic system.

Rationale And Objectives: The aim of this study was to automatically detect and quantify calcium lesions for the whole heart as well as per coronary artery on non-contrast-enhanced cardiac computed tomographic images.

Materials And Methods: Imaging data from 366 patients were randomly selected from patients who underwent computed tomographic calcium scoring assessments between July 2004 and May 2009 at Erasmum MC, Rotterdam. These data included data sets with 1.

Computed tomography coronary angiography accuracy in women and men at low to intermediate risk of coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of CT coronary angiography (CTCA) in women at low to intermediate pre-test probability of coronary artery disease (CAD) compared with men.

Methods: In this retrospective study we included symptomatic patients with low to intermediate risk who underwent both invasive coronary angiography and CTCA. Exclusion criteria were previous revascularisation or myocardial infarction.

Accelerated subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Objectives: We determined the extent, severity, distribution and type of coronary plaques in cardiac asymptomatic patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) using computed tomography (CT).

Background: FH patients have accelerated progression of coronary artery disease (CAD) with earlier major adverse cardiac events. Non-invasive CT coronary angiography (CTCA) allows assessing the coronary plaque burden in asymptomatic patients with FH.

Image quality and radiation exposure using different low-dose scan protocols in dual-source CT coronary angiography: randomized study.

Purpose: To compare image quality, radiation dose, and their relationship with heart rate of computed tomographic (CT) coronary angiographic scan protocols by using a 128-section dual-source CT scanner.

Materials And Methods: Institutional review board approved the study; all patients gave informed consent. Two hundred seventy-two patients (175 men, 97 women; mean ages, 58 and 59 years, respectively) referred for CT coronary angiography were categorized according to heart rate: less than 65 beats per minute (group A) and 65 beats per minute or greater (group B).

Prognostic value of Morise clinical score, calcium score and computed tomography coronary angiography in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease.

Purpose: Our aim was to determine the prognostic value of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA), coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) and Morise clinical score in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).

Materials And Methods: A total of 722 patients (480 men; 62.7±10.

Coronary plaque burden in patients with stable and unstable coronary artery disease using multislice CT coronary angiography.

Purpose: We evaluated the multislice computed tomography (MSCT) coronary plaque burden in patients with stable and unstable angina pectoris.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-one patients with stable and 20 with unstable angina pectoris scheduled for conventional coronary angiography (CCA) underwent MSCT-CA using a 64-slice scanner offering a fast rotation time (330 ms) and higher X-ray tube output (900 mAs). To determine the MSCT coronary plaque burden, we assessed the extent (number of diseased segments), size (small or large), type (calcific, noncalcific, mixed) of plaque, its anatomic distribution and angiographic appearance in all available ≥2-mm segments.

Computed tomography coronary angiography in asymptomatic patients.

Purpose: This study assessed the accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography (CT-CA) for detecting significant coronary artery disease (CAD; ≥50% lumen reduction) in intermediate/high-risk asymptomatic patients.

Materials And Methods: A total of 183 consecutive asymptomatic individuals (92 men; mean age 54±11 years) with more than one major risk factor (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolaemia, family history, smoking) and an inconclusive or nonfeasible noninvasive stress test result (stress electrocardiography, stress echocardiography, nuclear stress scintigraphy) underwent CT-CA in an outpatient setting. All patients underwent conventional coronary angiography (CAG) within 4 weeks.

The role of multi-slice computed tomography in stable angina management: a current perspective.

Contrast-enhanced CT coronary angiography (CTCA) has evolved as a reliable alternative imaging modality technique and may be the preferred initial diagnostic test in patients with stable angina with intermediate pre-test probability of CAD. However, because CTCA is moderately predictive for indicating the functional significance of a lesion, the combination of anatomic and functional imaging will become increasingly important. The technology will continue to improve with better spatial and temporal resolution at low radiation exposure, and CTCA may eventually replace invasive coronary angiography.

Non-invasive diagnostic workup of patients with suspected stable angina by combined computed tomography coronary angiography and magnetic resonance perfusion imaging.

Background: To evaluate additional adenosine magnetic resonance perfusion (MRP) imaging in the diagnostic workup of patients with suspected stable angina with computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) as first-line diagnostic modality.

Methods And Results: Two hundred and thirty symptomatic patients (male, 52%; age, 56 year) with suspected stable angina underwent CTCA. In patients with a stenosis of >50% as visually assessed, MRP was performed and the quantitative myocardial perfusion reserve index (MPRI) was calculated.

Diagnostic accuracy of 64-slice computed tomography coronary angiography in a large population of patients without revascularisation: registry data on the comparison between male and female population.

Purpose: This study was undertaken to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) for detecting significant coronary artery stenosis (≥50% lumen reduction) compared with conventional coronary angiography (CAG) in a male and female population.

Material And Methods: A total of 1,372 patients (882 men, 490 women; mean age 59.3 ± 11.

Diagnostic accuracy of 64-slice computed tomography coronary angiography in a large population of patients without revascularisation: registry data in NSTEMI acute coronary syndrome and influence of gender and risk factors.

Purpose: This study sought to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) for detecting significant coronary artery stenosis (≥50% lumen reduction) compared with conventional coronary angiography (CAG) in non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction-acute coronary syndrome (NSTEMI-ACS) and in subgroups selected by gender and number of risk factors (RF).

Materials And Methods: We selected from a population of 1,500 patients in a multicentre registry with NSTEMI-ACS who had undergone CTCA and CAG, (n=237; 187 men, mean age 63±10 years). Diagnostic accuracy and likelihood ratios (LR) of CTCA were assessed against CAG in the total population and subgroups (men, women: 0 RF = absence of RF, 1-2 RF = presence of one or two RF, >2 RF = presence of more than two RF).

Is there a difference in the diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography coronary angiography between women and men?

Objective: To assess the influence of sex on the diagnostic performance of computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA).

Methods: A total of 916 symptomatic patients (30.5% women) without earlier history of coronary artery intervention underwent both CTCA and invasive coronary angiography.