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Standardized reporting systems for computed tomography coronary angiography and calcium scoring: A real-world validation of CAD-RADS and CAC-DRS in patients with stable chest pain.
Williams, MC, Moss, A, Dweck, M, Hunter, A, Pawade, T, Adamson, PD, Shah, ASV, Alam, S, Maroules, CD, van Beek, EJ, et al
Journal of cardiovascular computed tomography. 2020;(1):3-11
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess the prognostic implications of standardized reporting systems for coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) in patients with stable chest pain. BACKGROUND The Coronary Artery Disease Reporting And Data System (CAD-RADS) and Coronary Artery Calcium - Data and Reporting System (CAC-DRS) aim to improve communication of CACS and CCTA results, but its influence on prognostication is unknown. METHODS Images from 1769 patients who underwent CCTA as part of the Scottish Computed Tomography of the HEART (SCOT-HEART) multi-center randomized controlled trial were assessed. CACS were classified as CAC-DRS 0 to 3 based on Agatston scores. CCTA were classified as CAD-RADS 0 to 5 based on the most clinically relevant finding per patient. The primary outcome was the five-year events of fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction. RESULTS Patients had a mean age of 58 ± 10 years and 56% were male. CAC-DRS 0, 1, 2 and 3 occurred in 642 (36%), 510 (29%), 239 (14%) and 379 (21%) patients respectively. CAD-RADS 0, 1, 2, 3, 4A, 4B and 5 occurred in 622 (35%), 327 (18%), 211 (12%), 165 (9%), 221 (12%), 42 (2%) and 181 (10%) patients respectively. Patients classified as CAC-DRS 3 were at an increased risk of fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction compared to CAC-DRS 0 patients (hazard ratio (HR) 9.41; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.24, 27.31; p < 0.001). Patients with higher CAD-RADS categories were at an increased risk of fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction, with patients classified as CAD-RADS 4B at the highest risk compared to CAD-RADS 0 patients (HR 19.14; 95% CI 4.28, 85.53; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Patients with higher CAC-DRS and CAD-RADS scores were at increased risk of subsequent fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction. This confirms that the classification provides additional prognostic discrimination for future coronary heart disease events.
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Evaluation of an AI-based, automatic coronary artery calcium scoring software.
Sandstedt, M, Henriksson, L, Janzon, M, Nyberg, G, Engvall, J, De Geer, J, Alfredsson, J, Persson, A
European radiology. 2020;(3):1671-1678
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate an artificial intelligence (AI)-based, automatic coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring software, using a semi-automatic software as a reference. METHODS This observational study included 315 consecutive, non-contrast-enhanced calcium scoring computed tomography (CSCT) scans. A semi-automatic and an automatic software obtained the Agatston score (AS), the volume score (VS), the mass score (MS), and the number of calcified coronary lesions. Semi-automatic and automatic analysis time were registered, including a manual double-check of the automatic results. Statistical analyses were Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (⍴), intra-class correlation (ICC), Bland Altman plots, weighted kappa analysis (κ), and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS The correlation and agreement for the AS, VS, and MS were ⍴ = 0.935, 0.932, 0.934 (p < 0.001), and ICC = 0.996, 0.996, 0.991, respectively (p < 0.001). The correlation and agreement for the number of calcified lesions were ⍴ = 0.903 and ICC = 0.977 (p < 0.001), respectively. The Bland Altman mean difference and 1.96 SD upper and lower limits of agreements for the AS, VS, and MS were - 8.2 (- 115.1 to 98.2), - 7.4 (- 93.9 to 79.1), and - 3.8 (- 33.6 to 25.9), respectively. Agreement in risk category assignment was 89.5% and κ = 0.919 (p < 0.001). The median time for the semi-automatic and automatic method was 59 s (IQR 35-100) and 36 s (IQR 29-49), respectively (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS There was an excellent correlation and agreement between the automatic software and the semi-automatic software for three CAC scores and the number of calcified lesions. Risk category classification was accurate but showing an overestimation bias tendency. Also, the automatic method was less time-demanding. KEY POINTS • Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring is an excellent candidate for artificial intelligence (AI) development in a clinical setting. • An AI-based, automatic software obtained CAC scores with excellent correlation and agreement compared with a conventional method but was less time-consuming.
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Beneficial effect of statin on preventing contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients with renal insufficiency: A meta-analysis.
Cho, A, Lee, YK, Sohn, SY
Medicine. 2020;(10):e19473
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Renal insufficiency is an important predictor of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). We performed a meta-analysis to examine the effects of short-term statin therapy on the incidence of CI-AKI, particularly in patients with renal insufficiency. METHODS A systematic search was conducted to retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the impact of statin pretreatment before administration of contrast media on the development of CI-AKI in patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency. The primary outcome was development of CI-AKI. The secondary outcome was the incidence ofacute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis. RESULTS Data analysis from 8 RCTs, which included a total of 2313 subjects in the statin-treated group and 2322 in the control group, showed that statin pretreatment was associated with significant reduction of the risk of CI-AKI (relative risk [RR] = 0.59; 95% confidential interval [CI] 0.44-0.79; P = .0003, I = 0%). A beneficial effect of statin on preventing CI-AKI was consistent, regardless of the dose of statin and use of N-acetylcysteine. In subgroup analysis based on baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), patients with baseline eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m (RR = 0.63; 95% CI 0.41-0.98; P = .04, I = 0%) and 30 < eGFR < 90 mL/min/1.73 m (RR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.39-0.82; P = .003, I = 0%) showed significant reduction of risk of CI-AKI. CONCLUSION Statin pretreatment is effective at preventing CI-AKI and should be considered in patients with preexisting renal insufficiency.
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Increased Serum Malondialdehyde-Modified Low-Density Lipoprotein and Coronary Angiographic Progression After Drug-Eluting Stent Implantation in Patients With Stable Angina.
Yokoi, M, Ito, T, Fujita, H, Sugiura, T, Seo, Y, Ohte, N
Circulation journal : official journal of the Japanese Circulation Society. 2020;(10):1837-1845
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiac events can occur after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation due to coronary plaque progression at non-stented sites. Malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) is suggested to be an atherogenic marker. This study investigated the relationship between serum MDA-LDL and angiographic progression after DES implantation.Methods and Results:In total, 207 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using DES and follow-up coronary angiography were retrospectively analyzed. MDA-LDL was serially measured before PCI and at follow up. Persistent high MDA-LDL was defined as a MDA-LDL level more than the median value both before PCI and at follow up. Angiographic progression was assessed by serial analysis of quantitative coronary angiography. Angiographic progression occurred in 35 patients (16.9%). MDA-LDL before PCI was significantly higher in the progression group than the non-progression group in all patients (143.4±35.8 U/L vs. 103.0±33.5U/L, P<0.001) and in patients with controlled LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C <100 mg/dL both before PCI and at follow up; 121.8±32.7 U/L vs. 84.9±24.9 U/L, P<0.001). There were positive correlations between % diameter stenosis changes and serum MDA-LDL before PCI in all patients (r=0.33, P<0.01) and those with controlled LDL-C (r=0.23, P=0.04). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, persistent high MDA-LDL was an independent predictor of plaque progression. CONCLUSIONS Increased serum MDA-LDL was associated with angiographic progression after DES implantation.
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Prognostic value of cardiac CT.
Seitun, S, Clemente, A, Maffei, E, Toia, P, La Grutta, L, Cademartiri, F
La Radiologia medica. 2020;(11):1135-1147
Abstract
In the past decades, coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has become a powerful tool in the management of coronary artery disease. The diagnostic and prognostic value of CCTA has been extensively demonstrated in both large observational studies and clinical trials among stable chest pain patients. The quantification of coronary artery calcium score (CACS) is a well-established predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in asymptomatic subjects. Besides CACS, the main strength of CCTA is the accurate assessment of the individual total atherosclerotic plaque burden, which holds important prognostic information. In addition, CCTA, by providing detailed information on coronary plaque morphology and composition with identification of specific high-risk plaque features, may further improve the risk stratification beyond the assessment of coronary stenosis. The development of new CCTA applications, such as stress myocardial CT perfusion and computational fluids dynamic applied to standard CCTA to derive CT-based fractional flow reserve (FFR) values have shown promising results to guide revascularization, potentially improving clinical outcomes in stable chest pain patients. In this review, starting from the role of CACS and moving beyond coronary stenosis, we evaluate the existing evidence of the prognostic effectiveness of the CCTA strategy in real-world clinical practice.
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Machine Learning and Deep Neural Networks Applications in Computed Tomography for Coronary Artery Disease and Myocardial Perfusion.
Monti, CB, Codari, M, van Assen, M, De Cecco, CN, Vliegenthart, R
Journal of thoracic imaging. 2020;:S58-S65
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During the latest years, artificial intelligence, and especially machine learning (ML), have experienced a growth in popularity due to their versatility and potential in solving complex problems. In fact, ML allows the efficient handling of big volumes of data, allowing to tackle issues that were unfeasible before, especially with deep learning, which utilizes multilayered neural networks. Cardiac computed tomography (CT) is also experiencing a rise in examination numbers, and ML might help handle the increasing derived information. Moreover, cardiac CT presents some fields wherein ML may be pivotal, such as coronary calcium scoring, CT angiography, and perfusion. In particular, the main applications of ML involve image preprocessing and postprocessing, and the development of risk assessment models based on imaging findings. Concerning image preprocessing, ML can help improve image quality by optimizing acquisition protocols or removing artifacts that may hinder image analysis and interpretation. ML in image postprocessing might help perform automatic segmentations and shorten examination processing times, also providing tools for tissue characterization, especially concerning plaques. The development of risk assessment models from ML using data from cardiac CT could aid in the stratification of patients who undergo cardiac CT in different risk classes and better tailor their treatment to individual conditions. While ML is a powerful tool with great potential, applications in the field of cardiac CT are still expanding, and not yet routinely available in clinical practice due to the need for extensive validation. Nevertheless, ML is expected to have a big impact on cardiac CT in the near future.
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Postsystolic shortening on echocardiography as a gateway to cardiac computed tomography in patients with suspected stable angina pectoris.
Brainin, P, Olsen, FJ, Lassen, MCH, Bech, J, Claggett, B, Fritz-Hansen, T, Folke, F, Gislason, GH, Biering-Sørensen, T
The international journal of cardiovascular imaging. 2020;(2):309-316
Abstract
Postsystolic shortening (PSS) by speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) is a marker of myocardial ischemia and may improve diagnostic strategy. We sought to evaluate if PSS is associated with the coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and stenosis by computed tomography angiography (CTA) in patients with suspected stable angina pectoris (SAP). We retrospectively studied 437 SAP patients (age 58 ± 11 years, 41% male) who underwent STE, evaluation of CACS and assessment of significant stenosis (≥ 50%) by CTA. The postsystolic index (PSI) was defined as follows: 100x([peak negative strain cardiac cycle - peak negative strain systole])/peak negative strain cardiac cycle. A wall had PSS if any segment within the wall had a PSI ≥ 20%. We defined categories for walls with PSS: 0, 1, 2 and ≥ 3, and CACS 0, 1-100, 101-400 and > 400. Each additional wall with PSS was associated with a 43% relative increase in CACS (95%CI +9% to +87%, P = 0.010), while each 1% absolute increase in the PSI was associated with a 9% relative increase in CACS (95%CI +1% to +18%, P = 0.031). Walls with PSS (OR 1.81 per 1 wall increase, 95%CI 1.27-2.59, P = 0.001) and the PSI (OR 1.12 per 1% increase, 95%CI 1.04-1.21, P = 0.004) were associated with the occurrence of CACS > 400. Additionally, walls with PSS (OR 1.53 per 1 wall increase, 95%CI 1.21-1.93, P < 0.001) was a predictor of significant stenosis by CTA. PSS is associated with CACS and significant stenosis by CTA in patients with SAP and may aid in the selection of patients referred for cardiac computed tomography.
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Coronary plaque volume and predictors for fast plaque progression assessed by serial coronary CT angiography-A single-center observational study.
Weber, C, Deseive, S, Brim, G, Stocker, TJ, Broersen, A, Kitslaar, P, Martinoff, S, Massberg, S, Hadamitzky, M, Hausleiter, J
European journal of radiology. 2020;:108805
Abstract
PURPOSE The rationale of this study was to identify patients with fast progression of coronary plaque volume PV and characterize changes in PV and plaque components over time. METHOD Total PV (TPV) was measured in 350 patients undergoing serial coronary computed tomography angiography (median scan interval 3.6 years) using semi-automated software. Plaque morphology was assessed based on attenuation values and stratified into calcified, fibrous, fibrous-fatty and low-attenuation PV for volumetric measurements. Every plaque was additionally classified as either calcified, partially calcified or non-calcified. RESULTS In total, 812 and 955 plaques were detected in the first and second scan. Mean TPV increase was 20 % on a per-patient base (51.3 mm³ [interquartile range (IQR): 14.4, 126.7] vs. 61.6 mm³ [IQR: 16.7, 170.0]). TPV increase was driven by calcified PV (first scan: 7.6 mm³ [IQR: 0.2, 33.6] vs. second scan: 16.6 mm³ [IQR: 1.8, 62.1], p < 0.01). Forty-two patients showed fast progression of TPV, defined as >1.3 mm3 increase of TPV per month. Male sex (odds ratio 3.1, p = 0.02) and typical angina (odds ratio 3.95, p = 0.03) were identified as risk factors for fast TPV progression, while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol had a protective effect (odds ratio per 10 mg/dl increase of HDL cholesterol: 0.72, p < 0.01). Progression to >50 % stenosis at follow-up was observed in 34 of 327 (10.4 %) calcified plaques, in 13 of 401 (3.2 %) partially calcified plaques and 2 of 221 (0.9 %) non-calcified plaques (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION Fast plaque progression was observed in male patients and patients with typical angina. High HDL cholesterol showed a protective effect.
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PrevenTion of contrast-inducEd nephropAThy with urinE alkalinization: the TEATE study design.
Lombardi, M, Molisana, M, Genovesi, E, De Innocentiis, C, Limbruno, U, Misuraca, L, Moretti, L, Di Vito, L, Di Nicola, M, Zimarino, M, et al
Journal of cardiovascular medicine (Hagerstown, Md.). 2020;(1):65-72
Abstract
: Intravascular administration of iodinated contrast media is an essential tool for the imaging of blood vessels and cardiac chambers, as well as for percutaneous coronary and structural interventions. Along with the spreading of diagnostic and interventional procedures, the increasing incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) has become an important and prognostically relevant problem. CIN is thought to be largely dependent on oxidative damage, and is a considerable cause of renal failure, being associated with prolonged hospitalization and significant morbidity/mortality. The most effective treatment strategy of this serious complication remains prevention, and several preventive measures have been extensively investigated in the last few years.Preprocedural hydration is the best-known and mostly accepted strategy. The administration of sodium bicarbonate has controversial effects, and is likely to be ineffective when the infused dose is unable to achieve adequate urine alkalinization. Since alkaline pH suppresses the production of free radicals, increasing urine pH would be an attractive goal for CIN prevention.In a prospective randomized controlled, open-label clinical trial we will test the hypothesis that urine alkalinization with either oral or intravenous bicarbonate on top of hydration alone is the main determinant of CIN prevention (primary endpoint) in a population of patients with moderate or severe chronic kidney disease scheduled for coronary angiography and/or angioplasty. If we then demonstrate nonsignificant differences in urine alkalinization and incidence of CIN between the two bicarbonate groups (secondary endpoint), a practical implication will be that oral administration is preferable for practical reasons over the administration of intravenous bicarbonate.
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Cardiac-CT and cardiac-MR cost-effectiveness: a literature review.
Centonze, M, Steidler, S, Casagranda, G, Alfonsi, U, Spagnolli, F, Rozzanigo, U, Palumbo, D, Faletti, R, De Cobelli, F
La Radiologia medica. 2020;(11):1200-1207
Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases are still among the first causes of death worldwide with a huge impact on healthcare systems. Within these conditions, the correct diagnosis of coronary artery disease with the most appropriate imaging-based evaluations is of utmost importance. The sustainability of the healthcare systems, considering the high economic burden of modern cardiac imaging equipments, makes cost-effective analysis an important tool, currently used for weighing different costs and health outcomes, when policy makers have to allocate funds and to prioritize interventions, getting the most out of their financial resources. This review aims at evaluating cost-effective analysis in the more recent literature, focused on the role of Calcium Score, coronary computed tomography angiography and cardiac magnetic resonance.