Xi Hai Zhao MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Liuquan Cheng MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Zulong Cai MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Wei Sun PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yuangui Gao, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of navigator-gated 3D MRA with 64-slice MDCT in evaluating coronary artery lumen with calcified atherosclerotic plaque.

24 patients with various extent calcified atherosclerotic plaques on MDCT were selected for coronary MRA studies. CAG was performed within 1 week after MDCT and MRA studies. The spatial resolution of MDCT was 0.6×0.6×0.4mm and the contrast was injected at a rate of 5ml/s (Ultravist 370mg/ml). The coronary MRA was acquired using navigator-gated 3D-SSFP sequence with a slab of 16-partition and a resolution of 1.1×1.1×2mm. T2-preparation was applied to suppress the myocardium. During CTA and MRA, the heart rate was controlled to be <70bpm. The MDCT and MRA data were graded for the presence of greater than 50% stenosis, and the images were reviewed by two radiologists. The diagnostic accuracies of the two modalities were evaluated with reference to quantitative CAG .

Totally, 155 calcified atherosclerotic plaques could be detected on CTA，Of which 118 were judged as significant stenosis, causing lumen loss >50% in visual inspection. But on CAG, only 63 of the 118 plaques caused significant (>50%) stenosis. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of CTA was 89%, 33%, 55%, respectively. Of the 155 calcified plaques on CTA, 62 corresponding sites on MRA were judged lumen loss >50% and 52 of 62 were consistent with CAG. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of MRA was 83%, 89%, 86%, respectively. When compared MRA with MDCT, the specificity of MRA was significantly higher than that of CTA (P0.05). The overall diagnostic accuracy of MRA for coronary significant stenosis with calcified plaque was significantly higher than that of CTA (P<0.05).

Navigator-gated 3D MRA had higher specificity and diagnostic accuracy than 64-slice MDCT for detecting coronary artery stenosis with calcified plaque.

Navigator-gated 3D coronary MRA can detect coronary stenosis with calcified plaque more accurately than 64-slice MDCT.

Zhao, X, Cheng, L, Cai, Z, Sun, W, Gao, Y, Evaluating Coronary Artery Lumen with Calcified Atherosclerotic Plaque on Navigator-gated 3D MRA and 64-slice MDCT.  Radiological Society of North America 2006 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 26 - December 1, 2006 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2006/4441051.html