Electron beam tomography imaging of coronary calcium: the effect of body mass index on radiologic noise.
OBJECTIVE
To measure selected parameters of radiologic noise in electron beam tomographic (EBT) images obtained for coronary artery calcium (CAC) screening, and to determine an association between the level of radiologic noise and patient body mass index (BMI).


METHODS
Electron beam tomographic CAC studies were performed on 311 persons. The study sample was stratified into three groups according to subjects' BMI. Three regions of interest (ROI) parameters of radiologic noise were used to measure the strength of association between the level of radiologic noise and BMI.


RESULTS
The measured ROI parameters of radiologic noise demonstrated a significant difference across the strata, with values gradually increasing from the normal weight group to the obese group. All ROI parameters showed significant correlations with BMI.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings support proposals to modify the current EBT CAC scoring methodology to account for variability in patient body size. These modifications may reduce the image noise levels and subsequently decrease the number of false-positive results.
Sevrukov
Alexander
A
University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
Pratap
Arati
A
Doss
Christine
C
Jelnin
Vladimir
V
Hoff
Julie A
JA
Kondos
George T
GT
D016477:Artifacts; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed