[Clinical value of multi-detector computed tomography source image on detecting extracoronary abnormalities].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the clinical value of multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) source image on detecting extracoronary abnormalities in a large cohort of patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD).


METHODS
MDCT source images from 3240 consecutive patients (mean 64.5 years) with suspected CAD were reviewed retrospectively by 2 readers.Extra-coronary findings were classified according to involved organ and level of clinical significance.Following organs were examined:lungs, upper abdomen, spine, chest wall, mediastinum and vascularatures. Clinical relevance of extracoronary findings was considered as either "significant" or "non-significant"."Significant" findings were subclassified as score 1:findings necessitating immediate therapeutic actions, or score 2:findings with uncertain clinical or prognostic relevance, requiring clinical awareness, follow-up or further investigations (non-urgent)."Non-significant" findings were assigned to score 3:findings without clinical implication. The irrelevant incidental findings (e.g. spinal degenerative changes, aortic calcification) were not analyzed.


RESULTS
Extracoronary findings was evidenced in 330 patients with 424 abnormalities, 20.3% (67/330) patients had multiple lesions, 16.5% lesions were located in the lungs, 13.2% lesions found in the upper abdomen, 56.8% (241/424) lesions evidenced in the mediastinum,0.9% (4/424) lesions seen in the spine and chest wall, 13.9% (53/424) lesions were related to other vascular disease. Pleural effusion accounts for 5.5% of the mediastinum lesions.Incidence of heart cavity enlargement, heart valve disease, pericardial effusion/calcification, atrial/ventricular perfusion defects, myocardial disease, congenital heart disease, ventricular aneurysm was 14.7% (56/380), 15.5% (59/380), 10.8% (41/380), 3.9% (15/380), 0.8% (3/380), 1.6% (6/380), and 1.8% (7/380) respectively. The clinical significance score 1-3 was 8.5% (36/424) , 81.1% (344/424) , and 10.4% (44/424) respectively.Incidence of detected extracoronary findings was the highest by bone window and the lowest by lung window.Incidence of extracoronary findings was not related to CAD (χ2 = 81.76, C = 0.155, P > 0.05).Inter-reader agreement on extracoronary findings was excellent (Kappa = 0.934, P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data show that it is of clinical value to observe and report extracoronary findings with source image of cardiac MDCT.
Department of Medical Imaging, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221000, China.
Li
L
Lu
Long-jiang
LJ
Zhang
Fei-peng
FP
Zhu
Li-xiang
LX
Xie
Hong
H
Ma
Jia-li
JL
Wang
Kai
K
Xu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*