title: Segmental distributions of calcifications and non-assessable lesions on coronary computed tomographic angiography: evaluation in symptomatic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the frequency and distribution pattern of calcifications in all and in only non-assessable coronary arterial segments in symptomatic patients with coronary heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 2355 consecutive coronary CT angiographies performed using a 320-row ADCT, 1129 studies performed by prospective one-beat scanning without metallic and motion artifacts were evaluated. Frequency and degree of calcification were assessed for each coronary segment. Evaluations were performed in all and in only non-assessable segments, and the results were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Calcified segments were observed in 15.6 % of patients and 2.4 % of segments. The most extensively calcified segments were those in the proximal left anterior descending branch. 1.1 % of all of the segments were not assessable due to calcification, and 90 % of those non-assessable segments had high-grade calcifications. When the calcium score value was 1000 or 2000, the expected frequency of non-assessable segments was 27.5 or 53.5 %, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There were specific features of the distribution of coronary arterial calcifications. It is important to be familiar with these features when deciding whether or not to perform subtraction CCTA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Takase Clinic, 885-2 Minami-Orui, Takasaki, Japan, ten@gunma-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amanuma
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsutani
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sekine
authors.forename: Tomoya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takayanagi
authors.forename: Tomonari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sano
authors.forename: Kazumasa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ischizaka
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takase
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000295:instrumentation; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*