Non-invasive assessment of coronary artery geometry using coronary CTA

V Tuncay; R Vliegenthart; M A M den Dekker; G J de Jonge; J K van Zandwijk; P van der Harst; M Oudkerk; P M A van Ooijen

doi:10.1016/j.jcct.2018.02.003

Non-invasive assessment of coronary artery geometry using coronary CTA

J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr. 2018 May-Jun;12(3):257-260. doi: 10.1016/j.jcct.2018.02.003. Epub 2018 Feb 19.

Authors

V Tuncay¹, R Vliegenthart², M A M den Dekker², G J de Jonge³, J K van Zandwijk⁴, P van der Harst⁵, M Oudkerk¹, P M A van Ooijen⁶

Affiliations

¹ University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Medical Imaging - North East Netherlands (CMI-NEN), Department of Radiology, The Netherlands.
² University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Medical Imaging - North East Netherlands (CMI-NEN), Department of Radiology, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Radiology, The Netherlands.
³ University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Radiology, The Netherlands.
⁴ University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Medical Imaging - North East Netherlands (CMI-NEN), Department of Radiology, The Netherlands; University of Twente, Technical Medicine Faculty, The Netherlands.
⁵ University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Cardiology, The Netherlands.
⁶ University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Medical Imaging - North East Netherlands (CMI-NEN), Department of Radiology, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Radiology, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.m.a.van.ooijen@umcg.nl.

PMID: 29486988
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcct.2018.02.003

Abstract

Aim: To assess the association of coronary artery geometry with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: 73 asymptomatic individuals at increased risk of CAD due to peripheral vascular disease (18 women, mean age 63.5 ± 8.2 years) underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (coronary CTA) using first generation dual-source CT. Curvature and tortuosity of the coronary arteries were quantified using semi-automatically generated centerlines. Measurements were performed for individual segments and for the entire artery. Coronary segments were labeled according to the presence of significant stenosis, defined as >70% luminal narrowing, and the presence of plaque. Comparisons were made by segment and by artery, using linear mixed models.

Results: Overall, median curvature and tortuosity were, respectively, 0.094 [0.071; 0.120] and 1.080 [1.040; 1.120] on a per-segment level, and 0.096 [0.078; 0.118] and 1.175 [1.090; 1.420] on a per-artery level. Curvature was associated with significant stenosis at a per-segment (p < 0.001) and per-artery level (p = 0.002). Curvature was 16.7% higher for segments with stenosis, and 13.8% higher for arteries with stenosis. Tortuosity was associated with significant stenosis only at the per-segment level (p = 0.002). Curvature was related to the presence of plaque at the per-segment (p < 0.001) and per-artery level (p < 0.001), tortuosity was only related to plaque at the per-segment level (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Coronary artery geometry as derived from coronary CTA is related to the presence of plaque and significant stenosis.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Coronary artery disease; Coronary artery plaque; Coronary computed tomography angiography; Curvature; Tortuosity.

MeSH terms

Aged
Computed Tomography Angiography*
Coronary Angiography / methods*
Coronary Artery Disease / diagnostic imaging*
Coronary Artery Disease / pathology
Coronary Stenosis / drug therapy*
Coronary Stenosis / pathology
Coronary Vessels / diagnostic imaging*
Coronary Vessels / pathology
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Observer Variation
Plaque, Atherosclerotic
Predictive Value of Tests
Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
Reproducibility of Results
Severity of Illness Index