|
KMID : 1149020180200020043
|
|
Journal of Korean Society of Computed Tomographic Technology
2018 Volume.20 No. 2 p.43 ~ p.51
|
|
|
Evaluation of usefulness of virtual calcium scoring in Dual-Energy cardiac CT
|
|
Han Hyeon-Seok
Lee Seong-Ju
Jeong Heon-Jeong
Kim Dong-Seong
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
Purpose: This paper evaluates the reliability of virtual noncontrast (VNC) images and virtual mono-chromatic (VMC) images derived from dual-energy CT for coronary artery calcium scoring, in order to decrease patient exposure radiation dose and increase the efficiency of the procedure.
Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, 60 patients who had heart rates under 65 beats per minute underwent dual-energy coronary CT angiography. They were divided into two groups (30 patients each) depending on whether calcium in the coronary artery visible in images viewed with the naked eye. Calcium scoring of Lesions, Voxel, Volume and Agatston Score was done on true non-contrast (TNC) images, VNC images, and VMC images using Rapidia calcium scoring software (INFINITT Healthcare). An independent t-test of a parametric test was used for statistical analysis with SPSS. P values less than 0.05 were considered to represent a statistically significant difference.
Result: In the group showing no visible calcium in the coronary artery, there were significant differences between TNC and VNC images (p<0.001). On the other hand, there were no significant differences between TNC and VMC images in Lesions (p>0.605), Voxel (p>0.406), Volume (p>0.521), and Agatston Score (p>0.072). In the group showing visible calcium in the coronary artery, there were no significant differences in Volume (p>0.136) and Agatston Score (p>0.716), but there were significant differences in Lesions (p<0.001) and Voxel (0.046). Significant differences between VNC and VMC images of were found in all aspects.
Conclusion: The results of this study to evaluate TNC, VNC, and VMC in dual-energy CT for coronary artery calcium scoring were unexpected. However, if technology that permits the addition or subtraction of calcium values is advanced, improved VNC images could be acquired in the future, which will contribute to increasing the efficiency of the procedure through decreasing the examination time and patient exposure dose. In addition, in the case of the mono-energy technique, if advanced techniques to separate iodine from remaining tissue including calcium are provided, this should be more useful for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease through more accurate calcium measurement.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Dual Energy cardiac CT, Virtual noncontrast (VNC), Virtual mono-chromatic (VMC), Agatston Score
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|
|
|