title: Quantification and characterisation of coronary artery plaque volume and adverse plaque features by coronary computed tomographic angiography: a direct comparison to intravascular ultrasound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the performance of manual measures of coronary plaque volumes and atherosclerotic plaque features from coronary CT angiography (CTA), using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) as the reference.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty individual coronary plaques with suitable fiduciary markers were identified. Plaque volumes on coronary CTA were manually quantified by two observers and compared to IVUS plaque volumes as interpreted by an independent laboratory. The presence of adverse plaque characteristics-low attenuation plaque (LAP), positive remodelling (PR) and spotty calcification (SC)-on coronary CTA was evaluated and compared to IVUS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High correlation in plaque volumes was detected between observers (r = 0.94, P < 0.0001; 95 % limits of agreement <48.7 mm(3), bias 6.6 mm(3)). Excellent correlation (r = 0.95, P < 0.0001) was noted in plaque volume between independent observers and IVUS (95 % limits of agreement <40.6 mm(3), bias -4.4 mm(3)) and did not differ from IVUS (105.0 ± 56.7 vs. 109.4 ± 60.7 mm(3), P = 0.2). The frequency of LAP (10 % vs. 17 %), PR (7 % vs. 10 %) and SC (27 % vs. 33 %) was similar between coronary CTA and IVUS (all P = NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plaque volume on coronary CTA determined by manual methods demonstrates high correlation and modest agreement to IVUS. Further, coronary CTA demonstrates high accuracy for the identification of adverse plaque characteristics, including LAP, PR and SC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Coronary CT angiography is a non-invasive test that enables coronary plaque assessment • Plaque quantification by coronary CT angiography correlates well with intravascular ultrasound findings • Coronary CT angiography can identify adverse plaque characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Imaging (Division of Nuclear Medicine) and Medicine (Division of Cardiology), Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, S. Mark Taper Building, Suite 1258, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA. Ryo.Nakazato@cshs.org
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakazato
authors.forename: Aryeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shalev
authors.forename: Joon-Hyung
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Doh
authors.forename: Bon-Kwon
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Damini
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Min
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000503:physiopathology; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*
references.citation: J Am Coll Cardiol. 1999 May;33(6):1756-824
references.pmid: 10334456
references.citation: Circulation. 2004 Nov 30;110(22):3424-9
references.pmid: 15557374
references.citation: JAMA. 2004 Mar 3;291(9):1071-80
references.pmid: 14996776
references.citation: J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr. 2009 May-Jun;3(3):190-204
references.pmid: 19409872
references.citation: Radiology. 2010 Nov;257(2):516-22
references.pmid: 20829536
references.citation: J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr. 2011 Jan-Feb;5(1):35-43
references.pmid: 21131252
references.citation: Heart. 2010 Apr;96(8):610-5
references.pmid: 19933294
references.citation: J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007 Jul 24;50(4):319-26
references.pmid: 17659199
references.citation: J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005 Jul 5;46(1):147-54
references.pmid: 15992649
references.citation: Int J Cardiovasc Imaging. 2008 Oct;24(7):735-42
references.pmid: 18587663
references.citation: Eur Radiol. 2012 Jul;22(7):1529-36
references.pmid: 22661076
references.citation: J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr. 2009 Jan-Feb;3(1):24-31
references.pmid: 19201374
references.citation: Invest Radiol. 2008 May;43(5):314-21
references.pmid: 18424952
references.citation: JACC Cardiovasc Imaging. 2011 May;4(5):537-48
references.pmid: 21565743
references.citation: Atherosclerosis. 2011 Nov;219(1):163-70
references.pmid: 21802687
references.citation: J Am Coll Cardiol. 1993 Jan;21(1):35-44
references.pmid: 8417074
references.citation: Eur Radiol. 2012 Oct;22(10):2067-75
references.pmid: 22622346
references.citation: JAMA. 2009 Feb 4;301(5):500-7
references.pmid: 19190314
references.citation: J Nucl Cardiol. 2008 Nov-Dec;15(6):818-29
references.pmid: 18984458
references.citation: JACC Cardiovasc Interv. 2008 Apr;1(2):176-82
references.pmid: 19463297
references.citation: Atherosclerosis. 2011 Dec;219(2):588-95
references.pmid: 21862017
references.citation: J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001 Apr;37(5):1478-92
references.pmid: 11300468
references.citation: Rofo. 2007 Sep;179(9):953-7
references.pmid: 17492542
references.citation: JAMA. 2006 Apr 5;295(13):1556-65
references.pmid: 16533939
references.citation: J Am Coll Cardiol. 2006 Feb 7;47(3):672-7
references.pmid: 16458154
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 2011 Jan 20;364(3):226-35
references.pmid: 21247313
references.citation: J Am Coll Cardiol. 1989 Oct;14(4):947-52
references.pmid: 2677088
references.citation: Invest Radiol. 2007 Mar;42(3):189-95
references.pmid: 17287649
references.citation: Am J Cardiol. 2008 Mar 1;101(5):579-84
references.pmid: 18308002
references.citation: Circulation. 2000 Feb 15;101(6):598-603
references.pmid: 10673250
references.citation: J Invasive Cardiol. 2009 Jul;21(7):367-72
references.pmid: 19571350
references.citation: Circulation. 2004 Jan 6;109(1):14-7
references.pmid: 14691045