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Coronary Plaque Volume in an Asymptomatic Population: Miami Heart Study at Baptist Health South Florida

Keishi Ichikawa1, Shai Ronen2, Rachelle Bishay1

  • 1Lundquist Institute, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA.

JACC. Cardiovascular Imaging
|September 8, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Coronary plaque volume is common in asymptomatic adults, increasing with age. AI-QCT analysis revealed significant sex differences in plaque burden, informing normative data for cardiovascular risk assessment.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Imaging and Diagnostics
  • Quantitative Plaque Analysis
  • Population Health Studies

Background:

  • Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA)-derived plaque burden is a key predictor of cardiovascular events.
  • Establishing normative values for quantitative plaque volume in the general population is crucial for clinical decision-making.
  • Understanding plaque distribution aids in identifying individuals at higher cardiovascular risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the distribution of coronary plaque volume in a large, community-based asymptomatic cohort.
  • To develop age- and sex-specific nomograms for quantitative plaque volume using artificial intelligence.
  • To provide normative data for plaque burden assessment in the general population.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative coronary computed tomography angiography (AI-QCT) analysis was performed on 2,301 asymptomatic subjects from the Miami Heart Study (MiHEART).
  • Artificial intelligence was utilized for automated plaque volume quantification.
  • Nonparametric techniques were employed to estimate plaque volume distribution percentiles.

Main Results:

  • The median total plaque volume was 54 mm³ (Q1-Q3: 16-126 mm³), increasing with age.
  • Males exhibited significantly higher median plaque volumes (80 mm³) compared to females (34 mm³; P < 0.001).
  • Plaque prevalence (≥20 mm³) was higher in males (81.5%) than females (61.9%); younger individuals showed more noncalcified plaque.

Conclusions:

  • A substantial majority of asymptomatic individuals in the study cohort had detectable coronary plaque via AI-QCT.
  • Age- and sex-specific nomograms derived from this study offer valuable insights into plaque volume distribution.
  • These findings establish normative data for coronary plaque volume in an asymptomatic population, aiding clinical risk stratification.
Abstract

Keywords:
cardiovascular risk assessmentcoronary CT angiographycoronary atherosclerosisgeneral populationplaque volume

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