title: Negative calcium score and the presence of obstructive coronary lesions in patients with intermediate CAD probability.
abstract: We intended to estimate how the zero coronary artery calcium (CAC) score in symptomatic patients with intermediate probability of coronary artery disease predicts the absence of obstructive non-calcified coronary plaques (NCAPs). CAC scoring and coronary arteries were evaluated by means of 64-multislice CT coronary angiography (CCTA). In 166 subject with CAC=0, Non-obstructive NCAPs (less than 50%) were found in 17 patients (10.2%), while significant stenosis were diagnosed in 3 (2%). In the female insignificant stenoses were more frequent (12%) than in men (6%), however, all 3 cases with significant stenosis were male. In our study, where CCTA has been used as diagnostic method for CAD diagnosing, the prevalence of non-calcified plaques in CAC=0 subjects is relatively high. Our study confirms a relatively low incidence of significant coronary stenosis in this subset of CAD-suspected subjects.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sosnowski
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pysz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Szymański
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gola
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tendera