Calcification of coronary arteries: detection and quantification with double-helix CT.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the accuracy of double-helix computed tomography (CT) in coronary artery calcification detection and quantification.


METHODS
One hundred sixty patients with coronary disease (135 men, 25 women; age range, 45-62 years), of whom 138 had obstructive (stenosis of > 50% of diameter; n = 129) or mild (< 50% stenosis; n = 9) coronary artery disease (CAD) and 22 had normal coronary arteries (per angiographic findings), and 56 age-matched healthy control subjects underwent double-helix CT.


RESULTS
Double-helix CT findings indicated that calcification was significantly more prevalent in patients with CAD (> 83%) than in patients with normal coronary arteries (27%) or in healthy control subjects (34%; P < .01). Sensitivity in detecting obstructive CAD was high (91%); however, specificity was low (52%) because of calcification in nonobstructive lesions. Comparison of double-helix CT and angiographic findings indicated that double-helix CT was 84% accurate with positive and negative predictive values of 89% and 59%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Double-helix CT is a useful noninvasive method for detection and quantification of coronary artery calcification.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*