title: Attenuation-based characterization of coronary atherosclerotic plaque: comparison of dual source and dual energy CT with single-source CT and histopathology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare different CT acquisition techniques regarding for attenuation-based characterization of coronary atherosclerotic plaques using histopathology as the standard of reference.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a post mortem study 17 human hearts were studied with dual-source CT (DSCT) and dual energy CT (DECT) mode on a DSCT as well as with 16-slice single-source CT (SSCT). At autopsy, atherosclerotic lesions were cut at 5 μm sections. Histopathologic classification of the plaques according to the American Heart Association (AHA) criteria was performed by two pathologists. Attenuation values of all plaques were measured in DSCT, DECT and SSCT studies, respectively and classified based on attenuation according to modified AHA criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  58 coronary plaques were identified at autopsy. Regardless of the CT technique only 52/58 plaques were found at CT (sensitivity=89.6%). There was no significant difference between the mean attenuation values of different plaque types between DSCT, DECT, and SSCT: type IV: 11HU/8HU/19HU; type Va: 44HU/45HU/52HU; type Vb: 1088HU/966HU/1079HU). The sensitivity for correct classification varied depending on the plaque type (type II=0%, type III=0%, type IV=43%, type Va=58%, Vb=97%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Independent of the used acquisition technique, SSCT, DSCT and DECT show similar results for attenuation-based characterization of atherosclerotic coronary plaques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim - Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany. Thomas.Henzler@umm.de
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henzler
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Porubsky
authors.forename: Hany
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kayed
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Harder
authors.forename: U Radko
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Krissak
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sueselbeck
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marx
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Michaely
authors.forename: U Joseph
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Schoepf
authors.forename: Stefan O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Schoenberg
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fink
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*