scholarly journals Capabilities of computed tomography angiography in the diagnosis of coronary artery calcifications in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

2018 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 515-520
Author(s):  
M Dzh Sultanova

The study was performed to identify the features of coronary artery calcifications with the use of coronary computed tomography angiography in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. In the study, calcifications were found in one vessel in 5 (8.3%) patients, in two vessels - in 24 (40%) subjects, in three vessels - in 28 (46.7%), and in four vessels - in 3 (5%) patients. 100% of patients were diagnosed with calcifications in the left descending artery, 90.2% - in left circumflex artery, 56.9% - in right coronary artery, 9.8% - in the root of left coronary artery, 92.2% of patients were diagnosed with calcifications of the aortic arch. The highest calcium score was registered in left circumflex artery (343.5±10.0 HU), and the lowest one - in right coronary artery (262.1±17.7 HU). The study results demonstrated correlation between the stage of rheumatoid arthritis and coronary calcification. In 77.8% of patients with stage I of the disease and in all patients with stage II, III and IV, calcifications of various size and localization were revealed in coronary arteries and aortic arch. Also, the relationship between duration of the disease and calcinosis extent was revealed. The obtained results indicate the importance of coronary computed tomography angiography for the diagnosis of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis due to high risk of cardiovascular complications in these patients.

Author(s):  
Asli Tanrivermis Sayit ◽  
Cetin Celenk

<P>Background: Hypoplastic coronary artery disease is a rare congenital coronary artery anomaly. It is often detected incidentally, and its true incidence in the general population is not known. </P><P> Discussion: Symptoms of HCAD are syncope, palpitations, dyspnea, and chest pain. Also, arrhythmia and myocardial infarction can be seen; these can cause sudden death, especially in athletes and young people. Diagnosis is often made at autopsy. Conclusion: Here, we present the case of a 39-year-old male with isolated hypoplasia of the left circumflex artery detected by coronary Computed Tomography (CT) angiography who complained of palpitation.</P>


2020 ◽  
Vol 161 (47) ◽  
pp. 1995-1999
Author(s):  
László Barna ◽  
Zsuzsanna Takács-Szabó ◽  
László Kostyál

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: Congenitalis coronariaanomáliának tekintik azokat a coronariamorfológiai rendellenességeket, melyek 1%-nál kisebb gyakorisággal fordulnak elő. Többségük nem jár tünettel, olykor azonban okozhatnak mellkasi fájdalmat, eszméletvesztést, és hirtelen halálhoz is vezethetnek. A coronariaanomáliák gyakoriságáról Magyarországon eddig csak invazív koronarográfiás adatok alapján jelent meg közlemény. Célkitűzés: Jelen vizsgálatunkban a coronariák eredési rendellenességeinek gyakoriságát mértük fel intézetünk coronaria-komputertomográfiás angiográfián átesett betegeinél. Módszer: A coronaria-komputertomográfiás vizsgálatra került betegek felvételeinek értékelésekor rögzítettük a coronariaanomália jelenlétét. A vizsgálat indikációja általában mellkasi fájdalom volt. 128 szeletes berendezést használtunk, a vizsgálatok során részben retrospektív, részben prospektív EKG-kapuzást alkalmaztunk. Eredmények: 1751 beteg komputertomográfiás angiográfiás felvételeit elemeztük. A betegek között a férfiak aránya 38,4%, a vizsgálatra kerülők életkorának átlaga pedig 58,07 ± 11,07 év volt. Eredési anomáliát 1,83%-ban találtunk, ezen belül a leggyakoribb volt a körbefutó ág (ramus circumflexus) és az elülső leszálló ág különálló eredése a bal Valsalva-sinusból (1%). A további rendellenességek a következők voltak: a jobb coronaria eredése magasan az aortából (0,34%), ramus circumflexus a jobb sinusból vagy a jobb coronariából (0,34%), jobb coronaria a bal Valsalva-sinusból (0,057%), elülső leszálló ág részben a bal Valsalva-sinusból a circumflexustól külön, részben a jobb coronariából (kettős elülső leszálló ág, 0,057%). Következtetés: Mindössze 0,057%-ban fordult elő potenciálisan tünetet okozó coronariaeredési rendellenesség (a bal sinusból eredő jobb coronaria). A komputertomográfiás angiográfia segítségével a coronariaeredés helye pontosan megállapítható, tisztázható az ér lefutása és ennek során viszonya a környező struktúrákhoz. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(47): 1995–1999. Summary. Introduction: Congenital coronary artery anomaly is defined as a coronary morphology which occurs in less than 1% of the cases. Usually these anomalies do not result in symptoms but sometimes they can cause chest pain, syncope and sudden death. In Hungary, the prevalence of these abnormalities was published only from data of invasive coronary angiography. Objective: In this study, we evaluated the prevalence of the anomalies of coronary origin in the patients of our institution undergoing coronary computed tomography. Method: While reading the computed tomography angiograms of our patients, we registered the presence of coronary anomalies. In most of the cases, the indication of the coronary computed tomography was chest pain. A scanner with 128 detectors was used, scans were performed partly with prospective, partly with retrospective ECG gating. Results: We assessed 1751 patients. The ratio of males was 38.4%, while the average age of patients 58.07 ± 11.07 years. Anomaly of coronary origin was present in 1.83% of our patients, with the separate origin of left anterior descending and left circumflex artery being the most frequent (1%) among them. Other anomalies were as follows: high take-off of the right coronary artery from the ascending aorta (0.34%), left circumflex arising from the right sinus of Valsalva or from the right coronary (0.34%), right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva (0.057%), left anterior descending arising partly from the left sinus of Valsalva, apart from the left circumflex, partly from the right coronary (dual left anterior descending artery, 0.057%). Conclusion: The prevalence of potentially symptomatic coronary anomalies was only 0.057% in our series (right coronary from the left sinus of Valsalva). The computed tomography angiography can precisely define the origin of the coronary artery, depict its run-off and its relationship to the neighbouring structures. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(47): 1995–1999.


Author(s):  
Mohammed Nooruddin Meah ◽  
Michelle C. Williams

Background The capabilities of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) have advanced significantly in the past decade. Its capacity to detect stenotic coronary arteries safely and consistently has led to a marked decline in invasive diagnostic angiography. However, CCTA can do much more than identify coronary artery stenoses. Method This review discusses applications of CCTA beyond coronary stenosis assessment, focusing in particular on the visual and quantitative analysis of atherosclerotic plaque. Results Established signs of visually assessed high-risk plaque on CT include positive remodeling, low-attenuation plaque, spotty calcification, and the napkin-ring sign, which correlate with the histological thin-cap fibroatheroma. Recently, quantification of plaque subtypes has further improved the assessment of coronary plaque on CT. Quantitatively assessed low-attenuation plaque, which correlates with the necrotic core of the thin-cap fibroatheroma, has demonstrated superiority over stenosis severity and coronary calcium score in predicting subsequent myocardial infarction. Current research aims to use radiomic and machine learning methods to further improve our understanding of high-risk atherosclerotic plaque subtypes identified on CCTA. Conclusion Despite rapid technological advances in the field of coronary computed tomography angiography, there remains a significant lag in routine clinical practice where use is often limited to lumenography. We summarize some of the most promising techniques that significantly improve the diagnostic and prognostic potential of CCTA. Key Points:  Citation Format


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