title: Usefulness of aortic valve calcium scores by electron beam computed tomography as a marker for aortic stenosis.
abstract: This study was undertaken to determine whether aortic valve calcium (AVC) scores measured by electron beam tomography can identify patients with echocardiographically defined aortic stenosis. Electron beam tomography is increasingly being used to detect coronary artery calcium. AVC can also be measured on electron beam tomographic (EBT) scans obtained to screen for coronary calcium. Whether EBT AVC scores correlate with the presence of aortic stenosis, as assessed by echocardiography, is unknown. Results of this study suggest that AVC scores should be calculated routinely for coronary calcium screening EBT scans, and that patients with Agatston AVC scores above a certain level (e.g., >150) should be referred for echocardiography.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Shavelle
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Budoff
authors.forename: Nediljka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buljubasic
authors.forename: Audrey H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takasu
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosales
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Otto
authors.forename: Xue Qiao
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Kevin D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D002118:Calcium