Publication

Coronary 64-slice CT angiography predicts outcome in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease

Journal Paper/Review - Feb 20, 2008

Units
PubMed
Doi
Contact

Citation
Gaemperli O, Valenta I, Schepis T, Husmann L, Scheffel H, Desbiolles L, Leschka S, Alkadhi H, Kaufmann P. Coronary 64-slice CT angiography predicts outcome in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Eur Radiol 2008; 18:1162-73.
Type
Journal Paper/Review (English)
Journal
Eur Radiol 2008; 18
Publication Date
Feb 20, 2008
Issn Print
0938-7994
Pages
1162-73
Brief description/objective

The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of 64-slice CT angiography (CTA) in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Sixty-four-slice coronary CTA was performed in 220 patients [mean age 63 +/- 11 years, 77 (35%) female] with known or suspected CAD. CTA images were analyzed with regard to the presence and number of coronary lesions. Patients were followed-up for the occurrence of the following clinical endpoints: death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and coronary revascularization. During a mean follow-up of 14 +/- 4 months, 59 patients (27%) reached at least one of the predefined clinical endpoints. Patients with abnormal coronary arteries on CTA (i.e., presence of coronary plaques) had a 1st-year event rate of 34%, whereas in patients with normal coronary arteries no events occurred (event rate, 0%, p < 0.001). Similarly, obstructive lesions (> or =50% luminal narrowing) on CTA were associated with a high first-year event rate (59%) compared to patients without stenoses (3%, p < 0.001). The presence of obstructive lesions was a significant independent predictor of an adverse cardiac outcome. Sixty-four-slice CTA predicts cardiac events in patients with known or suspected CAD. Conversely, patients with normal coronary arteries on CTA have an excellent mid-term prognosis.