title: Comparison of low-dose sequences of dual-source CT and echocardiography for preoperative evaluation of aortic valve disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accurate evaluation of coronary artery, aortic valve annulus diameter (AVAD), and cardiac function in patients with aortic valve disease is of great significance for surgical strategy. In this study, we explored the preoperative evaluation of low-dose sequence (MinDose sequence) scan of dual-source CT (DSCT) for those patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients suspected for aortic valve disease (the experimental group) underwent MinDose sequence of DSCT to observe coronary artery, AVAD, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Another 33 subjects suspected for coronary artery disease (the control group) underwent conventional retrospective electrocardiographically-gated sequence of DSCT. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2D-TTE) and four-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (4D-TTE) were applied in the experimental group to measure AVAD and LVEF and compared with MinDose-DSCT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a strong correlation between LVEFs measured by 2D-TTE and MinDose-DSCT (r = 0.87, P < 0.01), as well as between 4D-TTE and MinDose-DSCT (r = 0.90, P < 0.01). AVAD measured by MinDose-DSCT was in good agreement with corresponding measurements by 2D-TTE (r = 0.90, P < 0.01). The effective dose in the experimental group was 63.54% lower than that in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MinDose sequence of DSCT with a low radiation dose serving as a one-stop preoperative evaluation makes effective assessment of the coronary artery, AVAD, and LVEF for patients with aortic valve disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250021, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xi-ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-peng
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Hai-ou
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qiao
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wen-bin
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Zheng-jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000082882:Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed