Double-helical CT as a new tool for tracking of allograft atherosclerosis in heart transplant recipients.
OBJECTIVE
Tracking the progression of allograft atherosclerosis in heart transplant recipients is currently accomplished using invasive techniques. If its monitoring feasibility is demonstrated, spiral CT could be a non-invasive alternative for this objective.


METHODS
Twenty-four consecutive heart transplant patients (21 men, 3 women, mean age 55 +/- 11 years) were scanned using double-helical CT. The first scan was performed 1.9 +/- 1.3 years after transplantation. After 2 years of follow-up, 4 patients died and the remaining 20 underwent a second scan. All scans were performed according to a previously reported double-helical CT protocol.


RESULTS
The incidence of coronary calcification at the first scan was 4.2% (1/24); it increased to 40% (8/20) at the second scan (P < 0.001). Spiral CT identified new but very mild calcific deposits in seven patients with a mean total calcium score of 6.7 +/- 4.0.


CONCLUSIONS
Double-helical CT is a viable tool to diagnose and track newly developed allograft atherosclerosis.
Shemesh
J
J
Cardiac Rehabilitation Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel.
Tenenbaum
A
A
Stroh
C I
CI
Apter
S
S
Har-Zahav
Y
Y
Fisman
E Z
EZ
Itzchak
Y
Y
Motro
M
M
D000328:Adult; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014019:Tissue Donors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous