Hatem Alkadhi, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sebastian Leschka MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Dominique Bettex MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Borut Marincek MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Thomas Boehm MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Simon Wildermuth MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To prospectively evaluate whether planimetry of the aortic valve area (AVA) with multi-detector row computed tomography (CT) allows grading of aortic stenosis (AS).

20 patients with AS and 20 patients without AS underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE), and retrospectively electrocardiography (ECG)-gated 16-channel multi-detector row CT. Twenty CT data sets were reconstructed in 5% steps of the R-R interval, and data analysis was performed using 4D software. The maximum AVA in systole was planimetrically measured with CT (AVACT) and was compared with planimetry of the AVA using TOE (AVATOE), with AVA calculations using the continuity equation with TTE (AVATTE), and with transvalvular pressure gradients using the Bernoulli equation with TTE.

In patients without AS, AVACT was 3.56 ± 0.66 cm2 and AVATOE was 3.43 ± 0.69 cm2. In patients with AS, AVACT was 0.89 ± 0.35 cm2, AVATOE was 0.86 ± 0.35 cm2, AVATTE was 0.83 ± 0.33 cm2, and the transvalvular pressure gradient was 51 ± 22 mmHg. Significant correlations were present between AVACT and AVATOE (r = 0.99, P < .001), AVACT and AVATTE (r = 0.95, P < .001), and AVACT and transvalvular pressure gradients (r = -0.74, P < .01). Mean differences were -0.08 cm2 (limits of agreement: -0.32, +0.16) for AVACT versus AVATOE and +0.06 cm2 (limits of agreement: -0.15, +0.26) for AVACT versus AVATTE.

Planimetric measurements of the AVA by using retrospectively ECG-gated 16-channel multi-detector row CT allow grading of AS, similar to clinically established echocardiographic methods.

Alkadhi, H, Leschka, S, Bettex, D, Marincek, B, Boehm, T, Wildermuth, S, Evaluation of Aortic Stenosis with 16-Channel Multi-Detector Row CT: Comparison with Echocardiography.  Radiological Society of North America 2005 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 27 - December 2, 2005 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2005/4417096.html