title: Coronary plaque burden in patients with stable and unstable coronary artery disease using multislice CT coronary angiography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the multislice computed tomography (MSCT) coronary plaque burden in patients with stable and unstable angina pectoris.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with stable and 20 with unstable angina pectoris scheduled for conventional coronary angiography (CCA) underwent MSCT-CA using a 64-slice scanner offering a fast rotation time (330 ms) and higher X-ray tube output (900 mAs). To determine the MSCT coronary plaque burden, we assessed the extent (number of diseased segments), size (small or large), type (calcific, noncalcific, mixed) of plaque, its anatomic distribution and angiographic appearance in all available ≥2-mm segments. In a subset of 15 (seven stable, eight unstable) patients, the detection and classification of coronary plaques by MSCT was verified by intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitivity and specificity of MSCT compared with ICUS to detect significant plaques (defined as ≥1-mm plaque thickness on ICUS) was 83% and 87%. Overall, 473 segments were examined, resulting in 11.6±1.5 segments per patient. Plaques were present in 62% of segments and classified as large in 47% of diseased segments. Thirty-two percent were noncalcific, 25% calcific and 43% mixed. Plaques were most frequently located in the proximal and mid segments. Plaque was found in 33% of segments classified as normal on CCA. Unstable patients had significantly more noncalcific plaques when compared with stable patients (45% vs. 21%, p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MSCT-CA provides important information regarding the coronary plaque burden in patients with stable and unstable angina.
authors: Department of Radiology and Cardiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Mollet
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Maffei
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Martini
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Weustink
authors: C
authors: C
authors: van Mieghem
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Baks
authors: E
authors: E
authors: McFadden
authors: P
authors: P
authors: de Feyter
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Catalano
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Seitun
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Krestin
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Cademartiri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D060050:Angina, Stable / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography