ECG-edit function in multidetector-row computed tomography coronary arteriography for patients with arrhythmias.
BACKGROUND
ECG-gating is necessary for cardiac computed tomography, but is not suitable for arrhythmias, so the aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the ECG-edit function for this purpose.


RESULTS
Of 1,221 patients undergoing 64-row multidetector-row computed tomography coronary angiography (coronary MDCT), 123 patients (28 atrial fibrillation (Af), 39 premature atrial contractions (PAC), 42 premature ventricular contractions (PVC), 3 PAC + PVC, 10 sinus arrhythmias (SA), and a second-degree atrioventricular block (2 degrees AVB)) had arrhythmias necessitating the ECG-edit function. Short R-R interval was deleted and mid-diastolic phases were selected from the long R-R intervals using the "R+absolute time" method. In the present study, the reconstructed images were evaluated using a triple-grade scale A-C, representing excellent, acceptable, and unacceptable image quality. Image quality, categorized as A, B and C, respectively, was 50%, 36% and 14% for the 28 patients with Af; 56%, 36% and 8% for the 39 PAC patients, and 65%, 33% and 2% in the 42 PVC patients. None of the scans of the PAC + PVC, SA, and 2 degrees AVB patients was ranked as C.


CONCLUSIONS
The ECG-edit function is useful for reconstructing coronary MDCT images in many arrhythmias, and provides clinically acceptable images in most cases.
Matsutani
Hideyuki
H
Department of Radiological Technology, Takase Clinic, Takasaki, Japan.
Sano
Tomonari
T
Kondo
Takeshi
T
Morita
Hitomi
H
Arai
Takehiro
T
Sekine
Takako
T
Takase
Shinichi
S
Oida
Akitsugu
A
Fukazawa
Hiroshi
H
Suguta
Masahiko
M
Kondo
Makoto
M
Kodama
Takahide
T
Orihara
Tadaaki
T
Yamada
Norikazu
N
Tsuyuki
Masaharu
M
Narula
Jagat
J
D000368:Aged; D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018880:Atrial Premature Complexes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D054537:Atrioventricular Block / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging