Detection of coronary artery calcium to differentiate patients with early coronary atherosclerosis from luminally normal arteries.
Patients with angiographic evidence of early coronary atherosclerosis (<50% diameter stenosis) have a poorer prognosis than those with normal arteries and may benefit from more aggressive interventions targeted toward the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Using a calcium score of 5, fast computed tomography was able to identify 59% of patients with early atherosclerosis, while excluding 87% of patients with smooth, luminally normal coronary arteries.
Fallavollita
J A
JA
Department of Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, 14214, USA.
Kumar
K
K
Brody
A S
AS
Bunnell
I L
IL
Canty
J M
JM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D002118:Calcium