Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 24, 2026
Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
Published on: August 28, 2018
Natural history of coronary atherosclerosis by multislice computed tomography
Stella-Lida Papadopoulou1, Lisan A Neefjes, Hector M Garcia-Garcia
1Department of Cardiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Insights
Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) reveals coronary artery remodeling and lumen changes in patients with acute coronary syndromes. MSCT can noninvasively monitor coronary atherosclerosis progression and treatment effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Interventional Cardiology
- Radiology
Background:
- Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) offers a comprehensive assessment of coronary atherosclerosis.
- It integrates lumen dimensions and plaque burden for detailed analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the natural history of coronary atherosclerosis using MSCT.
- To evaluate serial changes in coronary plaque burden, lumen dimensions, and arterial remodeling.
- To assess the utility of MSCT in monitoring disease progression and treatment response.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-two patients with acute coronary syndromes underwent 64-slice CT angiography at baseline and after a median of 39 months.
- Coronary atherosclerosis progression was assessed by changes in percent atheroma volume (PAV) and total atheroma volume (TAV).
- Serial coronary remodeling, lumen stenosis (MLD, MLA), and clinical events were analyzed.
Main Results:
- While PAV did not change significantly, total atheroma volume showed a significant increase (p=0.029).
- Minimum lumen diameter and area increased, indicating vessel enlargement and positive remodeling in 53% of patients.
- Higher baseline TAVnorm was associated with increased clinical events.
Conclusions:
- MSCT effectively assesses coronary atherosclerosis progression and arterial remodeling.
- This imaging modality holds potential for noninvasive monitoring of pharmacological interventions in coronary artery disease.
- MSCT can aid in evaluating treatment efficacy in patients with unstable atherosclerotic lesions.
Objectives:
This study sought to analyze the natural history of coronary atherosclerosis by multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and assess the serial changes in coronary plaque burden, lumen dimensions, and arterial remodeling.
Background:
MSCT can comprehensively assess coronary atherosclerosis by combining lumen and plaque size parameters.
Methods:
Thirty-two patients with acute coronary syndromes underwent 64-slice computed tomography angiography after percutaneous coronary intervention at baseline and after a median of 39 months. All patients received contemporary medical treatment. All available coronary segments in every subject were analyzed. The progression of atherosclerosis per segment and per patient was assessed by means of change in percent atheroma volume (PAV), change in normalized total atheroma volume (TAVnorm), and percent change in TAV (% change in TAV). Serial coronary remodeling was also assessed. Measures of lumen stenosis included percent diameter stenosis (%DS), minimum lumen diameter (MLD), percent area stenosis (%AS), and minimum lumen area (MLA). For each patient, the mean of all matched segments was calculated at the 2 time points. Clinical events at follow-up were documented.
Results:
The PAV did not change significantly (-0.15 ± 3.64%, p = 0.72). The mean change in TAVnorm was 47.36 ± 143.24 mm(3) (p = 0.071), and the % change in TAV was 6.7% (p = 0.029). The MLD and MLA increased by 0.15 mm (-0.09 to 0.24, p = 0.039) and 0.52 mm(2) (-0.38 to 1.04, p = 0.034) respectively, which was accompanied by vessel enlargement, with 53% of the patients showing expansive positive remodeling. Patients with clinical events had a larger TAVnorm at baseline (969.72 mm(3) vs. 810.77 mm(3), p = 0.010).
Conclusions:
MSCT can assess the progression of coronary atherosclerosis and may be used for noninvasive monitoring of pharmacological interventions in coronary artery disease. (
Prospect:
An Imaging Study in Patients With Unstable Atherosclerotic Lesions; NCT00180466).
More Related Videos
06:57Semi-Automatic Graphical Tool for Measuring Coronary Artery Spatially Weighted Calcium Score from Gated Cardiac Computed Tomography Images
Published on: September 22, 2023
13:07Optical Coherence Tomography Based Biomechanical Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis of Coronary Atherosclerosis Progression
Published on: January 15, 2022
Related Concept Videos
01:25Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
01:28Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System V: CT
01:10Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...
01:30Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies
01:26Coronary Artery Disease II: Pathophysiology
01:27Atherosclerosis II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Tests