title: Noninvasive detection of coronary artery stenosis using 16-slice spiral CT: a comparison with selective X-ray coronary angiography.
abstract: The role of 16-slice spiral CT was evaluated in the diagnosis of coronary stenosis, with selective X-ray coronary angiography (SCA) serving as the reference standard. Sixty-five patients who were suspected of having coronary heart disease, without percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or coronary bypass-grafting, were investigated using 16-slice CT. Eight patients with pre-scan heart rate of more than 80 beats/min were given beta-blockers. After the retrospectively ECG-gated axial imaging reconstruction, volume redering (VR), multi-planar reconstruction (MPR), curved MPR and maximum intensity projection (MIP) were used to reconstruct. Every segment of coronary artery with a diameter > or = 1.5 mm was assessed, and the presence on CT with a stenosis exceeding 50% diameter reduction was compared with that on SCA. The reasons which lead to some segments unevaluable were analysed. Compared with SCA, 93% coronary segments and 94% main branches were evaluable. Residual cardiac motion artifacts, severe calcification and poor opacification made 58%, 28% and 14% of the remaining 60 segments unevaluable respectively. Without routine administration of beta-blockers, good coronary imaging quality can be acquired using 16-slice spiral CT. It is a reliable noninvasive method for detection of obstructive coronary artery disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China.
authors.forename: Heshui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Xiangquan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Gansheng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Martin H K
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*