title: Does epicardial adipose tissue volume provide information about the presence and localization of coronary artery disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study is important for the determination of branches and segments of the first atherosclerotic coronary artery. The objective was to examine the role of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume in estimating the presence and localization of plaque of coronary arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our study is a retrospective study, consisting of 50 male (mean age: 45.5 ± 12 yrs) and 58 female (mean age: 52.5 ± 11.6 yrs). A total of 108 consecutive patients underwent coronary computerized tomography (CT) angiography. Each coronary artery segment was assessed for the presence of atherosclerotic plaque. According to the plaque-involved vessel, patients were grouped as without plaque; plaque-involved left anterior descending artery (LAD), right coronary artery (RCA), or circumflex artery (Cx); and mixed (two or more vessels).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences in mean values between the two groups were compared using the independent samples t test. Mann-Whitney U test was used for the comparison of continuous variables among groups. While EAT volume was found to be higher in the group with plaque, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (88.6 ± 9.2 cm(3), 67.4 ± 7.2 cm(3), respectively, p=0.001). EAT volume was 67.3 ± 7.1 cm(3) in the without plaque group, 97.7 ± 22.8 cm(3) in LAD, 79.7 ± 10.1 cm(3) in RCA, 70.7 ± 8.9 cm(3) in Cx, and 101.9 ± 18.6 cm(3) in mixed vessels. In the intragroup comparison, the EAT volume of plaque-involved LAD and mixed vessels was significantly higher than in the other groups. The EAT volume of plaque-involved RCA was significantly higher (p=0.015) than in plaque-involved Cx.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased EAT volume is directly proportional to the presence of coronary artery plaques, especially in LAD and with more than one artery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Dr. Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University; Muğla-Turkey. nesatcullu77@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Neşat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Çullu
authors.forename: Mecit
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kantarcı
authors.forename: Yeşim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kızrak
authors.forename: Berhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pirimoğlu
authors.forename: Ümmügülsüm
authors.initials: Ü
authors.lastname: Bayraktutan
authors.forename: Hayri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oğul
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Karaca
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010496:Pericardium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed