title: Evaluation of myocardium in ischemic heart disease by ultrafast computed tomography.
abstract: In this study we evaluated quantitatively the contrast enhancement of the myocardium of 27 patients with infarction and ischemia by ultrafast CT (Imatron C-100) with a scan time of 100 msec. We defined three parameters from the CT numbers of the myocardium and the ventricle in both the early and the late phase (about 4 min) after the injection of non-ionic contrast material; the difference of the CT numbers of myocardium between the early and the late phase (delta CT#), and the ratios of the CT numbers of the myocardium and the ventricular lumen (M/L) in both the early phase and the late phase. The delta CT# for myocardial infarction and severe ischemia were -20 +/- 10HU and -8 +/- 10HU, respectively. These values were significantly lower than the mild ischemic myocardium and normal myocardium (p less than 0.001). The average M/L values for myocardial infarction and ischemia in the early phase were 19 +/- 8% and 16 +/- 6%, respectively. These values were significantly lower than those in normal myocardium (p less than 0.001). The average M/L values for infarction and severe ischemia in the late phase were 90 +/- 18% and 63 +/- 20%, respectively. These M/L were significantly dissociated (p less than 0.001). Our results indicate that with contrast UFCT it is feasible to detect quantitatively the myocardial characteristics of ischemia and infarction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, National Cardiovascular Center, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takamiya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*