Incidental detection of cancers and other non-cardiac abnormalities on coronary multislice computed tomography

The investigators prospectively examined 625 consecutive patients who underwent coronary multislice computed tomography (MSCT) for suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and evaluated the presence or absence of cancers and other noncardiac abnormalities on the original transverse sectional images of MSCT. Eight patients with known cancers were excluded from the analysis. The remaining 617 patients (344 men, 273 women; mean age 66 +/- 12 years) were analyzed. Cancers were found in 7 patients (1.13%) on the multislice computed tomographic images, including 4 lung cancers (0.65%), 2 thyroid cancers (0.32%), and 1 hepatic cancer (0.16%). In addition, nonmalignant abnormalities (nodules, tumors, or lymphadenopathies) were also found in 142 patients (23.01%), consisting of 58 postinflammatory lung nodules (9.40%), 49 hepatic cysts or hemangiomas (7.94%), 18 benign thyroid tumors (2.92%), 12 mediastinal lymphadenopathies (1.94%), 4 benign mammary gland tumors (0.65%), and 1 esophageal submucosal tumor (0.16%). In conclusion, cancers and other noncardiac abnormalities are often found in patients who undergo coronary MSCT for suspected CAD. Because patients who undergo coronary MSCT for suspected CAD are mostly elderly and therefore may have unrecognized cancers or other noncardiac abnormalities, care should thus be taken not to overlook these abnormalities when analyzing the multislice computed tomographic images.