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Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
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Published on: August 28, 2018

The relationship between coronary artery calcification and myocardial perfusion in asymptomatic women

Ahmed Fathala1, Ali Al Amer, Mohamed Shukri

  • 1Imaging Service, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. ahm35799@hotmail.com

Annals of Saudi Medicine
|June 19, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is a strong predictor of myocardial ischemia in asymptomatic women. Even with a zero CAC score, subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD) may still be present, highlighting the need for comprehensive screening.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Preventive Medicine

Background:

  • Limited data exists in Saudi Arabia regarding coronary artery calcification (CAC) and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) in asymptomatic women.
  • Subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD) detection is crucial for preventive strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between CAC presence and stress-induced myocardial ischemia detected by MPS.
  • To evaluate CAC as a screening tool for subclinical CAD in asymptomatic women in Saudi Arabia.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective, single-center study was conducted over two years.
  • 101 asymptomatic women without known CAD underwent both MPS and CAC scanning within three months.
  • The frequency of ischemia by MPS was correlated with CAC scores and the number of CAD risk factors.

Main Results:

  • 22% of women exhibited ischemic MPS.
  • A significant association (P=.0001) was found between higher CAC scores and ischemic MPS.
  • CAC presence was the most significant predictor of MPS results, with a zero CAC score rarely associated with abnormal MPS.

Conclusions:

  • Moderate to severe CAC is linked to ischemic MPS in over 50% of asymptomatic women with multiple CAD risk factors.
  • CAC screening is an appropriate initial test for CAD in asymptomatic women.
  • Normal MPS does not rule out subclinical CAD, emphasizing the value of CAC.
Abstract

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