title: Coronary artery calcification at CT as a predictor for cardiac complications of thoracic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our goal was to determine the predictive value of coronary artery calcification (CAC) on preoperative CT of the thorax for cardiac complications of noncardiac thoracic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 117 patients undergoing noncardiac thoracic surgical procedures between January 1, 1993, and June 1, 1995, at our institution, 75 had inpatient records and chest CTs available for retrospective review. Inpatient records were reviewed for postoperative cardiac complications (arrhythmia, hypotension with ECG changes, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke, and death). The CT scans were scored for the presence and extent of CAC by an independent observer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of the 75 patients had cardiac complications including 1 death. Thirty-nine of the 75 patients had a CAC score of > or = 7. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of a CAC score of > or = 7 for cardiac complications were 100, 71, 23, and 100%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of CAC on preoperative CT scanning is associated with cardiac complications of noncardiac thoracic surgery; however, the positive predictive value is low. The absence of CAC was a reliable predictor of a favorable postoperative cardiac course.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington 98431-5000, USA.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Meyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013903:Thoracic Surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed