New approach to noninvasive coronary angiography by multidetector computed tomography: initial experience using gadolinium.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the gadolinium performance for 16-detector-row coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography.


METHODS
Ethics committee approval and informed consent were obtained. Ten patients with coronary artery disease underwent digital coronary angiography and gadolinium-enhanced CT coronary angiography (Gd-CTCA) within the same week. For the Gd-CTCA, each patient received a dose of 0.3 mmol/kg of body weight of 0.5 mmol/mL gadoterate meglumine. Two readers interpreted the CT angiographies independently, and their results were matched with the digital angiography findings. The diagnostic accuracy of Gd-CTCA was calculated by the exact binomial method.


RESULTS
Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were for observer 1: 91.67%, 98.73%, 84.62%, and 99.36%, and for observer 2: 83.33%, 98.73%, 83.33%, and 98.73%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary results demonstrated that gadolinium chelates may be used as an alternative CT contrast media in coronary CT angiographies, without detriment to diagnosis results.
Carrascosa
Patricia
P
Department of Computed Tomography, Diagnóstico Maipú, Buenos Aires, Argentina. investigacion@diagnosticomaipu.com.ar
Merletti
Pablo Garcia
PG
Capuñay
Carlos
C
Goldsmit
Alejandro
A
Bettinotti
Marcelo
M
Carrascosa
Jorge
J
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; C072417:gadoterate meglumine