Cardiac CT angiography (CTA) and nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI)-a comparison in detecting significant coronary artery disease.
OBJECTIVE
Endowed with sufficient diagnostic accuracy, electron beam computed tomography angiography (CTA) is being increasingly used to evaluate coronary arteries. However, data on direct comparisons with nuclear myocardial perfusion studies are limited. In this study, we sought to compare the accuracies of CTA and myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) for identifying symptomatic patients with hemodynamically significant obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
In a single-center study, symptomatic outpatients who were scheduled for cardiac catheterization were prospectively enrolled. Only patients with exertional angina or dyspnea were included. After fulfilling the inclusion criteria, 30 patients were enrolled in the study (mean age 54 +/- 9 years and 70% males). Patients underwent MPI, CTA including coronary artery calcification (CAC) measure, and invasive coronary angiography for evaluation of obstructive coronary artery disease. Significant CAD was defined as >50% left main artery stenosis or >70% stenosis of any other epicardial vessel by invasive angiography. The sensitivities, specificities and predictive values of MPI, CAC, and CTA were analyzed per patient


RESULTS
CTA demonstrated significant higher sensitivity than MPI (95% vs. 81%, P < .05). CTA demonstrated significantly higher specificity than both MPI (89% versus 78%, P = .04) and CAC (56%, P = .002). CTA also performed better in a per-vessel analysis (sensitivity 94%, specificity 96%) than both nuclear and CAC. There were no significant differences between the sensitivities and specificities of MPI and CAC.


CONCLUSIONS
CTA accurately detects obstructive CAD in symptomatic patients and may be more accurate than MPI or CAC assessment. Larger studies in a more diverse population are needed.
Budoff
Matthew J
MJ
Division of Cardiology, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA, 1124 W. Carson Street, RB2, Torrance, CA 90502, USA. mbudoff@labiomed.org
Rasouli
M Leila
ML
Shavelle
David M
DM
Gopal
Ambarish
A
Gul
Khawar M
KM
Mao
Song S
SS
Liu
Steven H
SH
McKay
Charles R
CR
D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D017256:Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi; D002118:Calcium