Purpose: To investigate whether the effects of hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR) on coronary artery calcium (CAC) measurements using the Agatston score lead to changes in assignment of patients to cardiovascular risk groups compared to filtered back projection (FBP).
Materials And Methods: 68 patients (mean age 61.5 years; 48 male; 20 female) underwent prospectively ECG-gated, non-enhanced, cardiac 256-MSCT for coronary calcium scoring. Scanning parameters were as follows: Tube voltage, 120 kV; Mean tube current time-product 63.67 mAs (50 - 150 mAs); collimation, 2 × 128 × 0.625 mm. Images were reconstructed with FBP and with HIR at all levels (L1 to L7). Two independent readers measured Agatston scores of all reconstructions and assigned patients to cardiovascular risk groups. Scores of HIR and FBP reconstructions were correlated (Spearman). Interobserver agreement and variability was assessed with ĸ-statistics and Bland-Altmann-Plots.
Results: Agatston scores of HIR reconstructions were closely correlated with FBP reconstructions (L1, R = 0.9996; L2, R = 0.9995; L3, R = 0.9991; L4, R = 0.986; L5, R = 0.9986; L6, R = 0.9987; and L7, R = 0.9986). In comparison to FBP, HIR led to reduced Agatston scores between 97 % (L1) and 87.4 % (L7) of the FBP values. Using HIR iterations L1 - L3, all patients were assigned to identical risk groups as after FPB reconstruction. In 5.4 % of patients the risk group after HIR with the maximum iteration level was different from the group after FBP reconstruction.
Conclusion: There was an excellent correlation of Agatston scores after HIR and FBP with identical risk group assignment at levels 1 - 3 for all patients. Hence it appears that the application of HIR in routine calcium scoring does not entail any disadvantages. Thus, future studies are needed to demonstrate whether HIR is a reliable method for reducing radiation dose in coronary calcium scoring.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0034-1398850 | DOI Listing |
Indian J Endocrinol Metab
December 2024
Department of General Medicine, Narayana Hrudayalaya, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for asymptomatic cardiovascular disease (CVD). The QRISK 3 score and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk scores determine the risk of developing CVD over 10 years. The CT coronary artery calcium score (CACS) is a non-invasive imaging modality that identifies sub-clinical atherosclerosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Med Imaging (Bellingham)
January 2025
Case Western Reserve University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
Purpose: We investigated the feasibility and advantages of using non-contrast CT calcium score (CTCS) images to assess pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) and its association with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). PCAT features from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) have been shown to be associated with cardiovascular risk but are potentially confounded by iodine. If PCAT in CTCS images can be similarly analyzed, it would avoid this issue and enable its inclusion in formal risk assessment from readily available, low-cost CTCS images.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiagnostics (Basel)
January 2025
Cardiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, 35340 Izmir, Turkey.
: As an endocrine organ, adipose tissue produces adipokines that influence coronary artery disease (CAD). The objective of this study was to assess the potential value of CTRP5 and chemerin in differentiating coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-confirmed coronary artery disease (CAD) versus non-CAD. Secondarily, within the CCTA-confirmed CAD group, the aim was to investigate the relationship between the severity and extent of CAD, as determined by coronary artery calcium score (CACS), and the levels of CTRP5 and chemerin.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Cardiology, Vascular Medicine and Pneumology, GRN Hospital Weinheim, Weinheim, Germany.
Agatston score, the degree of lumen narrowing categorized by CAD-RADS, high-risk atherosclerotic plaque features and pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation (PCAT) are parameters, which can be assessed non-invasively by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and aid risk stratification in patients with chronic coronary syndromes (CCS). However, few studies have so far compared the prognostic value of all those parameters together. To develop and test the prognostic value of a composite CCTA score, derived from Agatston score, CAD-RADS, high-risk plaques and PCAT in patients undergoing CCTA due to CCS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Cardiovasc Disord
January 2025
Department of Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance, Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of non-electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggered chest low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) with a kV-independent reconstruction algorithm in assessing coronary artery calcification (CAC) degree and cardiovascular disease risk in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).
Methods: In total, 181 patients receiving MHD who needed chest CT and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) scannings sequentially underwent non-ECG-triggered, automated tube voltage selection, high-pitch chest LDCT with a kV-independent reconstruction algorithm and ECG-triggered standard CACS scannings. Then, the image quality, radiation doses, Agatston scores (ASs), and cardiac risk classifications of the two scans were compared.
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