Applicability of cardiogoniometry as a non-invasive screening tool for the detection of graft vasculopathy in heart transplant recipients

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2016 Dec;23(6):976-978. doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivw237. Epub 2016 Aug 1.

Abstract

Currently available diagnostic modalities for the detection of graft vasculopathy following orthotopic heart transplantation are subject to various restrictions. We hypothesized that cardiogoniometry, a novel non-invasive diagnostic tool for the detection of atherosclerotic coronary vessel disease, is applicable in the graft vasculopathy setting. Cardiogoniometric results were obtained during routine follow-up in 49 consecutive, unselected heart transplant recipients and then retrospectively correlated blindly by an independent reader to recent angiographic findings. Sensitivity of cardiogoniometry was 100%, specificity 62.3%, positive predictive value 68.75%, negative predictive value 100%, negative likelihood ratio 0 and positive likelihood ratio 2.888. Cardiogoniometry is potentially applicable as an easy-to-perform, non-invasive screening tool predominantly for the exclusion but also for the detection of graft vasculopathy in heart transplant recipients.

Keywords: Allograft; Diagnostic imaging; Vasculopathy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Coronary Angiography / methods*
  • Coronary Artery Disease / diagnosis*
  • Coronary Artery Disease / etiology
  • Female
  • Heart Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Transplant Recipients*