Relationship between stress-induced myocardial ischemia and atherosclerosis measured by coronary calcium tomography.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the relationship between stress-induced myocardial ischemia on myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (MPS) and magnitude of coronary artery calcification (CAC) by X-ray tomography in patients undergoing both tests.


BACKGROUND
There has been little evaluation regarding the relationship between CAC and inducible ischemia or parameters that might modify this relationship.


METHODS
A total of 1,195 patients without known coronary disease, 51% asymptomatic, underwent stress MPS and CAC tomography within 7.2 +/- 44.8 days. The frequency of ischemia by MPS was compared to the magnitude of CAC abnormality.


RESULTS
Among 76 patients with ischemic MPS, the CAC scores were >0 in 95%, >or=100 in 88%, and >or=400 in 68%. Of 1,119 normal MPS patients, CAC scores were >0, >or=100, and >or=400 in 78%, 56%, and 31%, respectively. The frequency of ischemic MPS was <2% with CAC scores <100 and increased progressively with CAC >or=100 (p for trend <0.0001). Patients with symptoms with CAC scores >or=400 had increased likelihood of MPS ischemia versus those without symptoms (p = 0.025). Absolute rather than percentile CAC score was the most potent predictor of MPS ischemia by multivariable analysis. Importantly, 56% of patients with normal MPS had CAC scores >or=100.


CONCLUSIONS
Ischemic MPS is associated with a high likelihood of subclinical atherosclerosis by CAC, but is rarely seen for CAC scores <100. In most patients, low CAC scores appear to obviate the need for subsequent noninvasive testing. Normal MPS patients, however, frequently have extensive atherosclerosis by CAC criteria. These findings imply a potential role for applying CAC screening after MPS among patients manifesting normal MPS.
Department of Imaging, Burns and Allen Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA. bermand@cshs.org
Daniel S
DS
Berman
Nathan D
ND
Wong
Heidi
H
Gransar
Romalisa
R
Miranda-Peats
John
J
Dahlbeck
Sean W
SW
Hayes
John D
JD
Friedman
Xingping
X
Kang
Donna
D
Polk
Rory
R
Hachamovitch
Leslee
L
Shaw
Alan
A
Rozanski
D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes