Coronary artery calcium: alternate methods for accurate and reproducible quantitation

Acad Radiol. 1997 Oct;4(10):666-73. doi: 10.1016/s1076-6332(97)80137-7.

Abstract

Rationale and objectives: The aim of this study was to determine a more precise and accurate method of quantitating coronary artery calcium (CAC) detected with electron-beam computed tomography (CT) in patients with low CAC scores.

Materials and methods: Two 40-section, 3-mm-collimation, electrocardiographically gated electron-beam CT examinations of the heart were performed in each patient. Fifty patients with average scores between 2 and 100, as determined with the conventional scoring algorithm, were selected. The modified conventional scoring algorithm was compared with two techniques: calculated calcium volume and approximated calcium mass.

Results: The percentage difference between scans ranged from 37.2% for the conventional scoring method to 28.2% and 28.4% for volume- and mass-based methods, respectively. Increasing lesion size thresholds does not improve quantitative precision and reduces accuracy in patients with small amounts of CAC.

Conclusion: Quantification methods based on calcification volume or mass decrease score variation compared with the conventional scoring method, and increased size threshold does not improve accuracy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Calcium / analysis*
  • Coronary Artery Disease / diagnostic imaging*
  • Coronary Artery Disease / prevention & control
  • Coronary Vessels / chemistry*
  • Electron Probe Microanalysis* / instrumentation
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation
  • Male
  • Mass Screening
  • Middle Aged
  • Reference Values
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed* / instrumentation

Substances

  • Calcium