Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patency: assessment with high-resolution submillimeter 16-slice multidetector-row...

To investigate the ability of 16-slice multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) to visualize coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patency and to detect bypass stenoses.

Thirty-two patients with 94 grafts (20 mammary artery grafts, 74 venous grafts) were investigated by 16-slice MDCT using a scan protocol with 12 x 0.75 mm slice collimation (pitch 0.3), 420 ms rotation time and simultaneous electrocardiogram (ECG)-registration. One hundred milliliters iodinated contrast agent were injected with a delay according to the individually determined contrast agent transit time. Patients with heart rates above 60 bpm received oral beta-blockade. Cross-sectional images with a slice width of 1.0 mm (0.5 mm increment) were reconstructed using an ECG-gated half-scan reconstruction or a multisegment reconstruction algorithm depending on the heart rate. Bypass grafts were evaluated concerning patency and presence of stenoses > or = 50% diameter reduction on cross-sectional images, multiplanar reformations and maximum intensity projections by two independent observers. Results were compared to coronary bypass angiography.

Sixteen-slice MDCT results were compared to those of invasive coronary angiography concerning absence or presence of bypass graft occlusion or relevant stenosis > or = 50% lumen reduction. Coronary CT angiography (CTA) permitted detection of bypass occlusion with 100% sensitivity (28/28) and 98% specificity (64/65). Seventy-eight percent (observer 1) and 84% (observer 2) of all patent grafts were found to be evaluable concerning presence or absence of stenosis. In 34 of 40 (observer 1) and 38 of 43 (observer 2) bypass grafts, high-grade stenoses were correctly ruled out (specificity 85% versus 88%, sensitivity 80% and 82%). Yet, if all patients with either unevaluable grafts/graft anastomosis or relevant graft stenosis were excluded, only 8/32 patients (25%) had fully diagnostic "negative" graft-CTA. According to Kappa statistics, agreement between the observers was 1.0 and 0.93 concerning occlusion and relevant stenosis, respectively.

Sixteen-slice coronary CTA with sub-millimeter spatial resolution and premedication with oral beta-blockade permits non-invasive assessment of coronary artery bypass grafts with decreasing numbers of unevaluable graft segments. However, patient-based analysis reveals that only a relatively small number of patients ("negative" and completely evaluable graft-CTA) truly profits from noninvasive work-up and could be spared invasive angiography.