Spiral CT angiography in the study of the carotid stenoses.
OBJECTIVE
To determine sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of spiral CT angiography (S-CTA) compared to Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA).


METHODS
We studied 40 patients with suspected cerebro-vascular insufficiency by carotid stenosis. Diagnostic examinations by means of S-CTA and DSA were carried out within 24 hours of each other. Twelve of these patients underwent thromboendoarterectomy (TEA). Prospeed SX GE was used for S-CTA. Post-processing was performed using Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP) after deleting osteo-muscular structures and CT angiograms were displayed in an oblique anterior view at an angle of 10 degrees-15 degrees along the longitudinal axis. For DSA examinations, a Siemens Politron 1000 VR unit was used.


RESULTS
In this study S-CTA showed values of sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of 88%, 100% and 96%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
In the future, with the improvement of non-invasive techniques (S-CTA, MRA), DSA should be replaced, as the gold-standard, in the evaluation of stenotic disease of the carotid bifurcation.
Simeone
A
A
Department of Radiology, Institute of Scientific Research Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, Foggia, Italy.
Carriero
A
A
Armillotta
M
M
Scarabino
T
T
Nardella
M
M
Ceddia
A
A
Magarelli
N
N
Salvolini
U
U
Bonomo
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D016894:Endarterectomy, Carotid; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*