title: Preoperative assessment of coronary arteries in patients undergoing thoraco-abdominal and noncoronary cardiovascular surgery with dual-source computed tomography angiography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To retrospectively evaluate coronary anomalies and coronary wall atheromatous changes by using dual-source computed tomography angiography (DSCTA) for preoperative assessment of patients with thoraco-abdominal and noncoronary cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty-one patients scheduled for elective noncoronary cardiovascular surgery (heart valve disease group, HVD; arrhythmia group, Arrhy; or aortic aneurysm group, AA) underwent a DSCTA examination for preoperative preparation. Anomalous origin of coronary arteries, myocardial bridge (MB), coronary wall atheromatous changes, luminal stenosis, and types of plaques were evaluated and compared among the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anomalous origin of coronary arteries and MB were observed in 5.1% and 21.5% of patients. Anomalous origin of the coronary artery from the opposite sinus was most common (55.6%). MB was most frequently detected in the distal segment of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) (1.2%). Plaques were most common in the proximal segment of the LAD (16.4%) and LAD branches (42.2%). Diseased vessels and segments were more common in AA group, followed by Arrhy patients and finally HVD groups (p < 0.001 for each group). Multivessel involvement and significant stenosis of AA group were significantly more common than the other two groups. Noncalcified plaque and all grades of stenosis were more common in AA patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DSCTA is useful for preoperative assessment of coronary arteries in patients undergoing thoraco-abdominal and noncoronary cardiovascular surgery. DSCTA detected higher prevalence of coronary artery disease in AA patients than in the other two groups of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Yi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Zhi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Li-Qing
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D057234:Preoperative Period; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*