title: Clinical significance of the coronary calcification score by multidetector row computed tomography for the evaluation of coronary stenosis in Japanese patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The coronary artery calcification (CAC) score measured by multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) has emerged as a marker for predicting coronary artery disease (CAD). To evaluate the clinical significance of the CAC score, coronary artery stenosis as assessed by coronary angiography (CAG) was compared with the CAC score determined by MDCT, risk factors and medications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects included 374 consecutive patients who underwent ECG-gate CT angiography using MDCT. The accuracy in patients with a CAC score >or=400 was 84%, and significantly lower than that in patients with a CAC score =0. In addition 92 patients (68 males, 24 females; mean age, 63+/-11 years) who underwent both MDCT and CAG within a 1-month period were selected for further investigation. Patients with significant coronary stenosis had a significantly higher CAC score than those without stenosis. In addition, a higher number of stenosed vessels was associated with a higher CAC score. The subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the CAC score: low (0-12), intermediate (13-444) and high (>or=445). The CAC score was significantly associated with age, and plasma levels of total cholesterol and hemoglobinA1c, and logistic regression analysis revealed that significant coronary stenosis as assessed by CAG was most closely correlated with the CAC score (p=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CAC score determined by MDCT can predict CAD independent of other factors, such as age, metabolic diseases and medications, when coronary stenosis can not be diagnosed because of severe calcification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mitsutake
authors.forename: Hideya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niimura
authors.forename: Shin-ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Keijiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saku
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006441:Hemoglobin A / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed
chemical_list: D006441:Hemoglobin A; D002784:Cholesterol