title: Use of cardiac CT angiography imaging in an epidemiology study - the Methodology of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study cardiovascular disease substudy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The methodology for use of cardiac CT angiography (CTA) in low risk populations is not well defined. In order to present a reference for future studies, we present CTA methodology that is being used in an epidemiology study- the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS).
  
  
  METHODS
  The Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) is an on-going multicenter prospective, observational cohort study. The MACS Cardiovascular Disease substudy plans to enroll 800 men (n= 575 HIV seropositive and n=225 HIV seronegative) age 40-70 years for coronary atherosclerosis imaging using cardiac CTA. The protocol includes heart rate (HR) optimization with beta- blockers; use of proper field of view; scan length limitation; prospective ECG-gating using the lowest beam voltage possible. All scans are evaluated for presence, extent, and composition of coronary atherosclerosis, left atrial volumes, left ventricular volume and mass and non-coronary cardiac pathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first 498 participants had an average radiation dose of 2.5±1.6 milliSieverts (mSv) for the cardiac CTA study. Overall quality of scans was fair to excellent in 98.6% of studies. There were three significant adverse events-two allergic reactions to contrast and one subcutaneous contrast extravasation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac CTA was safe and afforded a low effective radiation exposure to these asymptomatic research participants and provides valuable cardiovascular endpoints for scientific analysis. The cardiac CTA methodology described here may serve as a reference for use in future epidemiology studies aiming to assess coronary atherosclerosis and cardiac anatomy in low risk populations while minimizing radiation exposure.
authors: Harbor UCLA Medical Center and Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Torrance, CA 90502, USA. yhacioglu@yahoo.com
authors: Yalçın
authors: Y
authors: Hacıoğlu
authors: Mohit
authors: M
authors: Gupta
authors: Tae Young
authors: TY
authors: Choi
authors: Richard T
authors: RT
authors: George
authors: Christopher R
authors: CR
authors: Deible
authors: Lisa P
authors: LP
authors: Jacobson
authors: Mallory D
authors: MD
authors: Witt
authors: Frank J
authors: FJ
authors: Palella
authors: Wendy S
authors: WS
authors: Post
authors: Matthew J
authors: MJ
authors: Budoff
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
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