Head-to-Head Comparison of Different Software Solutions for AVC Quantification Using Contrast-Enhanced MDCT

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Radiology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Aortic valve calcification (AVC) is crucial for diagnosing and predicting outcomes in aortic stenosis patients.
• Interchangeability of AVC measurements across different multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) software solutions remains largely unstudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the interchangeability and reproducibility of AVC quantification using three distinct commercial MDCT software solutions.
• To assess the impact of software variability on diagnostic accuracy for aortic stenosis management.

Main Methods:

• Contrast-enhanced MDCT datasets from 50 aortic stenosis patients were analyzed using 3Mensio, CVI42, and Syngo.Via software.
• Intra- and inter-observer variability were assessed using ICC, Bland-Altman analysis, and coefficients of variation.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in AVC volume calculations were observed between the three software solutions (p = 0.455).
• Excellent inter-vendor agreement was demonstrated, with ICC values ranging from 0.992 to 0.997.
• All software solutions exhibited excellent intra- and inter-observer reproducibility (ICC > 0.996).

Conclusions:

• Contrast-enhanced MDCT-derived AVC scores are interchangeable and reproducible across different commercially available software solutions.
• These findings confirm the reliability of MDCT for AVC assessment, crucial for accurate TAVR planning and widespread clinical adoption.