title: Magnetic resonance evaluation of the associations of thoracic and abdominal aortic plaques with the presence and extent of coronary artery stenosis.
abstract: The association between coronary artery disease (CAD) and thoracic aortic plaques has often been reported using transesophageal echocardiography. However, studies showing the association between CAD and abdominal aortic plaques are scarce. CMR can visualize plaques in both the thoracic and abdominal aortas. Using CMR, we investigated the associations of thoracic and abdominal aortic plaques with the presence and extent of coronary artery stenosis in 146 patients undergoing coronary angiography, of whom 108 had CAD. The prevalence of thoracic and abdominal aortic plaques was higher in patients with CAD than in those without CAD (73% and 94% vs. 32% and 79%, p < 0.025). Stepwise increases in the prevalence and extents of both thoracic and abdominal plaques were found depending on the number of stenotic coronary vessels. Plaque extent in the thoracic aorta correlated with the numbers of > 50% and > 25% stenotic coronary segments (rs = 0.30 and 0.41). Plaque extent in the abdominal aorta also correlated with the numbers of > 50% and > 25% stenotic segments (rs = 0.40 and 0.44). Notably, the total plaque extent in the aortas correlated best with the numbers of > 50% and > 25% stenotic coronary segments (rs = 0.41 and 0.49, p < 0.001), and this factor was found to be the best predictor for the presence of CAD by the receiver-operating-characteristics curve analysis. Thus, the total plaque extent in the aortas was found to be more closely associated with the presence and extent of coronary stenosis than the thoracic or abdominal aortic plaque extent.
authors: National Defense Medical College, Saitama, Japan.
authors: Kazuhiro
authors: K
authors: Ashida
authors: Yukihiko
authors: Y
authors: Momiyama
authors: Zahi A
authors: ZA
authors: Fayad
authors: Nobukiyo
authors: N
authors: Tanaka
authors: Ryuichi
authors: R
authors: Kato
authors: Hiroaki
authors: H
authors: Taniguchi
authors: Reiko
authors: R
authors: Ohmori
authors: Teruyoshi
authors: T
authors: Kihara
authors: Akira
authors: A
authors: Kameyama
authors: Masayoshi
authors: M
authors: Nagata
authors: Haruo
authors: H
authors: Nakamura
authors: Fumitaka
authors: F
authors: Ohsuzu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000473:pathology*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors