title: The Quality of Imaging of the Carotid Body by the Standard Protocol for Computed Tomography Angiography of the Carotid Arteries.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical significance of the carotid body (CB) has been increasing. Currently, research connected with the CB is focused on establishing the significance of chronically increased activity of the CB in the progression of heart failure and in the genesis of hypertension. Moreover, it has been suggested that cardiac hypertrophy may be associated with an increase in CB volume.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of study was to assess the quality of imaging the CB by following the standard protocol for computed tomography angiography (CTA) of the carotid arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis includes 50 consecutive CTA examinations of the carotid arteries. A retrospective assessment of the quality of imaging both the right and left CB (rCB and lCB) was carried out for all the CTA examinations of the carotid arteries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rCB was exposed in 62% and the lCB in 56% of the CTA examinations. None of the CTA examinations analyzed resulted in good or very good quality visualization of the CB. Only 22% of the CTA examinations provided a medium quality rCB image. An even lower ratio of medium-quality visualizations of the lCB was noted: only 14% of the analyzed examinations. In the male sample group, the CB was exposed significantly more often than in the female group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The standard protocol for CTA examinations of the carotid arteries appears to be insufficient for use in assessing the CB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology and Imaging Diagnostics, 4th Military Hospital, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Przemysław
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jaźwiec
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology and Imaging Diagnostics, 4th Military Hospital, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gać
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Clinic, Center for Heart Diseases, 4th Military Hospital, Wrocław, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Niewiński
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Occupational Diseases and Hypertension, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Rafał
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poręba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards*