Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease.
BACKGROUND
Coronary magnetic resonance angiography is a noninvasive method to visualize coronary arteries. The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of coronary magnetic resonance imaging in the detection of coronary artery stenosis.


METHODS
The authors studied 61 patients who were scheduled for their first diagnostic X-ray coronary angiography. Magnetic resonance imaging of the coronary arteries under free-breathing was performed prior to the catheterization schedule. The results were compared.


RESULTS
Forty-one out of 61 patients (67.2%) had significant coronary stenosis of at least one major coronary artery. Sixteen (26.2%) had triple vessel disease. A total of 391 of 427 segments had interpretable image quality (91.6%). The diagnostic accuracy of the left main artery, left anterior descending artery, left circumflex artery, and right coronary artery was 96.7 per cent, 90 per cent, 80 per cent and 85.2 per cent respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the detection of any significant coronary disease were 97.6 per cent, 75 per cent, 91.2 per cent, 90.9 per cent and 92.3 per cent respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Coronary magnetic resonance imaging is an accurate non-invasive imaging technique in the detection of coronary artery stenosis.
Krittayaphong
Rungroj
R
Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand.
Mahanonda
Nithi
N
Kangkagate
Charuwan
C
Nakyen
Supaporn
S
Tanapibunpon
Prajak
P
Chaithiraphan
Suphachai
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity