title: Evaluation of coronary artery lumen diameter with 16-slice multidetector-row computed tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  When using 16-slice multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) to detect coronary artery stenosis, coronary arteries measuring 1.5 mm or larger in lumen diameter are usually evaluated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of the visualized lumen in each coronary artery segment measuring more than 1.5 mm in diameter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Electrocardiographic-gated 16-slice MDCT was used to scan 20 patients after administration of nitroglycerin. The luminal diameter of each coronary artery segment was measured on cross-sectional images using a caliper method. The frequency of the visualized lumen of each coronary artery segment measuring larger than 1.5 mm in diameter was as follows: #1: 100%, #2: 100%, #3: 100%, #4PD: 85%, #4AV: 80%, #5: 100%, #6: 100%, #7: 100%, #8: 90%, #9: 85%, #10: 40%, #11: 100%, #12: 65%, #13: 100%, #14: 80%. Averaged lumen diameter+/-standard deviation (mm) larger than 1.5 mm in all patients was calculated as follows: #1: 3.8+/-0.70, #2: 3.5+/-0.69, #3: 3.2+/-0.82, #5: 4.2+/-1.04, #6: 3.4 +/-0.79, #7: 2.9+/-0.62, #11: 2.9+/-0.69, #13: 2.6+/-0.57.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Luminal diameter larger than 1.5 mm of each coronary artery segment can be assessed in most cases by 16-slice MDCT.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Imaging Laboratory in Research Park, Keio University School of Medicine. Tokyo, Japan. yamada@mr.med.keio.ac.jp
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jinzaki
authors.forename: Sachio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuribayashi
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanami
authors.forename: Shen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Kosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012107:Research Design; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin