%0 Journal Article
%T Plaque imaging with CT coronary angiography: Effect of intra-vascular attenuation on plaque type classification
%A Erica Maffei
%A Chiara Martini
%A Teresa Arcadi
%A Alberto Clemente
%J World Journal of Radiology
%D 2012
%I Baishideng Publishing Group Co. Limited
%R 10.4329/wjr.v4.i6.265
%X AIM: To assess the attenuation of non-calcified atherosclerotic coronary artery plaques with computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA). METHODS: Four hundred consecutive patients underwent CTCA (Group 1: 200 patients, Sensation 64 Cardiac, Siemens; Group 2: 200 patients, VCT GE Healthcare, with either Iomeprol 400 or Iodixanol 320, respectively) for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). CTCA was performed using standard protocols. Image quality (score 0-3), plaque (within the accessible non-calcified component of each non-calcified/mixed plaque) and coronary lumen attenuation were measured. Data were compared on a per-segment/per-plaque basis. Plaques were classified as fibrous vs lipid rich based on different attenuation thresholds. A P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: In 468 atherosclerotic plaques in Group 1 and 644 in Group 2, average image quality was 2.96 ¡À 0.19 in Group 1 and 2.93 ¡À 0.25 in Group 2 (P ¡Ý 0.05). Coronary lumen attenuation was 367 ¡À 85 Hounsfield units (HU) in Group 1 and 327 ¡À 73 HU in Group 2 (P < 0.05); non-calcified plaque attenuation was 48 ¡À 23 HU in Group 1 and 39 ¡À 21 HU in Group 2 (P < 0.05). Overall signal to noise ratio was 15.6 ¡À 4.7 in Group 1 and 21.2 ¡À 7.7 in Group 2 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Higher intra-vascular attenuation modifies significantly the attenuation of non-calcified coronary plaques. This results in a more difficult characterization between lipid rich vs fibrous type.
%K Computed tomography coronary angiography
%K Coronary artery plaque
%K Plaque characterization
%K Contrast material
%K Lumen enhancement
%U http://www.wjgnet.com/1949-8470/full/v4/i6/265.htm