title: Comparison of CT and CMR for detection and quantification of carotid artery calcification: the Rotterdam Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carotid artery atherosclerosis is an important risk factor for stroke. As such, quantitative imaging of carotid artery calcification, as a proxy of atherosclerosis, has become a cornerstone of current stroke research. Yet, population-based data comparing the computed tomography (CT) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) for the detection and quantification of calcification remain scarce.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 684 participants from the population-based Rotterdam Study underwent both a CT and CMR of the carotid artery bifurcation to quantify the amount of carotid artery calcification (mean interscan interval: 4.9 ± 1.2 years). We investigated the correlation between the amount of calcification measured on CT and CMR using Spearman's correlation coefficient, Bland-Altman plots, and linear regression. In addition, using logistic regression modeling, we assessed the association of CT and CMR based calcification volumes with a history of stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a strong correlation between CT and CMR based calcification volumes (Spearman's correlation coefficient:0.86, p-value ≤0.01). Bland-Altman analyses showed a good agreement, though CT based calcification volumes were systematically larger. Finally, calcification volume assessed with either imaging modality was associated with a history of stroke with similar effect estimates (odds ratio (OR) per 1-SD increase in calcification volume: 1.52 (95% CI:1.00;2.30) for CT, and 1.47 (95% CI:1.01;2.14) for CMR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT based and CMR based volumes of carotid artery calcification are highly correlated, but CMR based calcification is systematically smaller than those obtained with CT. Despite this difference, both provide comparable information with regard to a history of stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Office Na 2824k, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Blerim
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mujaj
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics, Radiology, and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Andrés M Arias
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lorza
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics, Radiology, and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Engelen
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Imaging Group Rotterdam, Departments of Medical Informatics, Radiology, and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Computer Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Bruijne
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Office Na 2824k, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Oscar H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Lugt
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Office Na 2824k, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Meike W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Vernooij
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Office Na 2824k, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. d.bos@erasmusmc.nl.|Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. d.bos@erasmusmc.nl.|Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA. d.bos@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D009426:Netherlands; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Atherosclerosis; CMR; CT; Calcification; Carotid artery; Stroke