title: Accuracy of coronary artery stenosis detection with CT versus conventional coronary angiography compared with composite findings from both tests as an enhanced reference standard.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To prospectively compare the accuracy of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and conventional coronary angiography (CCA) for stenosis detection using composite findings from both tests as an enhanced reference standard.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred thirteen patients underwent CCTA and CCA. Per-segment and per-patient accuracy of CCTA compared with initial CCA interpretation were determined. Angiographers were then unblinded to the CCTA results and re-evaluation of the CCA studies was performed with knowledge of CCTA findings, which was used as an enhanced reference standard to compare the diagnostic accuracy of CCTA versus CCA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When using the enhanced reference standard instead of initial CCA interpretation, CCTA accuracy for identifying segments (patients) with ≥50% stenosis increased from 97.7% (96.5%) to 98.1% (98.2%), sensitivity from 90.5% (100%) to 90.8% (100%), and specificity from 98.4% (94.3%) to 98.9% (97.1%). CCTA identified six segments and two patients with stenoses ≥50% missed on initial CCA interpretation. Compared with the enhanced reference standard the accuracies of CCTA and of initial CCA interpretation were not different (p = 0.87).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCTA compares favourably with CCA for stenosis detection. Use of a composite reference standard combining findings from both tests can control for the effect of false-negative CCA results when evaluating the accuracy of CCTA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, 25 Courtenay Drive, Charleston, SC 29401, USA.
authors.forename: J Matthias
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kerl
authors.forename: U Joseph
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Schoepf
authors.forename: Peter L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Zwerner
authors.forename: Ralf W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Abro
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thilo
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Vogl
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Herzog
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D012015:Reference Standards; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media