title: Atherosclerotic pattern of coronary myocardial bridging assessed with CT coronary angiography.
abstract: The aim of our study was to evaluate the atherosclerotic pattern of patients with coronary myocardial bridging (MB) by means of CT Coronary Angiography (CT-CA). 254 consecutive patients (166 male, mean age 58.6 ± 10.3) who underwent 64-slice CT-CA according to current clinical indications were reviewed for the presence of MB and concomitant segmental atherosclerotic pattern. Coronary plaques were assessed in all patients enrolled. 73 patients (29%) presented single (90%) or multiple (10%) MB, frequently (93%) localized in the mid-distal left anterior descending artery. The MB segment was always free of atherosclerosis. Segments proximal to the MB presented: no atherosclerotic disease (n = 37), positive remodeling (n = 23), <50% (n = 14), or >50% stenoses (n = 7). Distal segments presented a different atherosclerosis pattern (P < 0.0001): absence of disease (n = 73), no significant lesions (n = 8). No significant differences were found between segments proximal to MB and proximal coronary segments apart from left main trunk. Pattern of atherosclerotic lesions located in segments 6 and 7 significantly differs between patients with MB and patients without MB (P < 0.05). CT-CA is a reliable method to non-invasively demonstrate MB and related atherosclerotic pattern. CT-CA provides new insight regarding atherosclerosis distribution in segments close to MB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, DIBIMEF, University Hospital P. Giaccone, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127 Palermo, Italy. ludovicolagrutta@hotmail.it
authors.forename: Ludovico
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: La Grutta
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Runza
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galia
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maffei
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lo Re
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grassedonio
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tedeschi
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cademartiri
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Midiri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054084:Myocardial Bridging / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed