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Updated: Mar 30, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancing Cardiovascular Imaging - Introducing the Spatially Weighted Calcium Score for Early Disease Detection
Published on: September 22, 2023
Routine Coronary Calcium Scan Can Precisely Measure Vertebral Bone Density Without a Quantitative Calibration Phantom
Song Shou Mao1, Yanting Luo, Hans Fischer
1From the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed), Torrance, CA.
Objective:
We aimed to assess accuracy and precision of quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and phantomless in thoracic bone mineral density (BMD) assessment using coronary artery calcium scan (CACS).
Methods:
A total of 513 subjects underwent CACS with a calibration phantom. The thoracic spine BMD and concentration of calcium hydroxyapatite in phantom rods, as well CT Hounsfield unit of both, were measured. The thoracic BMD and phantom-rods calcium concentration were obtained using phantomless. The accuracy and precision error of QCT and phantomless were compared.
Results:
The mean biases from true calcium concentration of phantom rods were 2.9% and 3.8% for the QCT and phantomless, respectively (P < 0.001). The biases of thoracic BMD from QCT by phantomless were 3.8% with a similar precision error in both methods.
Conclusions:
The thoracic BMD can be assessed accurately and precisely using QCT and phantomless with a routine CACS.
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