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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between myocardial deformation parameters and cardiovascular risk factors in asymptomatic Asian subjects and to provide reproducibility for deformation parameters of both ventricles using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) tissue tracking (TT). We enrolled 129 asymptomatic healthy adults who underwent CMR and assessed the cardiovascular risk factors in all individuals. All subjects had normal left ventricular systolic function. Commercial software was used to derive myocardial deformation parameters of both ventricles from short-axis cine images and long-axis cine images with two-, three-, and four-chamber views. Linear regression analysis was performed for evaluation of the association with all strain parameters for each age and systolic blood pressure. Intra class correlation was also calculated in CMR-TT to determine interobserver variability. In all 129 patients, the strain values for the left ventricle (LV) were 48.90 ± 9.05 for radial strain (RS, %), − 22.30 ± 2.33 for circumferential strain (CS, %), and − 19.76 ± 2.22 for longitudinal strain (LS, %). The strain values for the right ventricle (RV) were 18.63 ± 6.52 for RS, − 10.60 ± 3.33 for CS, and − 25.06 ± 3.01 for LS. In all 129 patients (male, n = 105), all strain parameters of LV and RV was significantly different among males and females (all p values

In the effects of postconditioning on myocardial reperfusion in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (POST) trial, ischemic postconditioning did not improve myocardial reperfusion in 700 patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI. However, the impact of postconditioning on myocardial salvage and infarct size still needs to be addressed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ischemic postconditioning on myocardial salvage using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI. For the CMR substudy, a total of 111 patients was analyzed, 56 in the postconditioning group and 55 undergoing conventional primary PCI in the control group. Postconditioning was performed immediately after restoration of coronary flow by four cycles of 1-min balloon occlusion separated by 1 min of deflation. The primary end point was myocardial salvage measured by CMR 3 days after the index event. The myocardial salvage index was not improved by ischemic postconditioning compared with conventional PCI (46.3 ± 18.5 vs. 45.7 ± 20.5 %, p = 0.86). The infarct size was not significantly different between the two groups (18.8 ± 10.3 vs. 20.2 ± 11.0 %, p = 0.52). Moreover, there was no significant difference in the rates of microvascular obstruction or hemorrhagic infarction between the groups. CMR study demonstrated that ischemic postconditioning during primary PCI in STEMI patients did not improve myocardial salvage or reduce infarct size. These findings further support the results of the POST trial which showed no benefit of ischemic postconditioning as an adjunctive treatment of primary PCI.

Background The technique of tissue tracking with balanced steady-state free precession cine sequences was introduced, and allowed myocardial strain to be derived directly, offering advantages over traditional myocardial tagging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between reverse remodeling as an outcome and left ventricular strain using cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) tissue tracking, and to evaluate prediction of reverse remodeling by myocardial deformation in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Methods We enrolled 63 patients with severe AS and normal left ventricular (LV) systolic function (ejection fraction > 60%), who underwent both CMR and transthoracic echocardiography (Echo) before surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR). CMR at 1.5 T, including non and post-contrast T1 mapping for extracellular volume (ECV), was carried out to define the amount of myocardial fibrosis. Cardiac Performance Analysis software was used to derive myocardial deformation as strain parameters from three short-axis cine views (basal, mid and apical levels) and apical 2, 3, and 4 chamber views. The primary outcome was reverse remodeling, as evaluated by regression of left ventricular mass index (LVMI). Results Median follow-up was 28.8 months (interquartile range 11.3–38.3 months). As evaluated by LVMI between baseline and follow-up, mass regression was significantly improved after AVR (baseline 145.9 ± 37.0 [g/m2] vs. follow-up 97.7 ± 22.2[g/m2], p

This study assessed diffuse myocardial fibrosis (MF) by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) and validated findings by using histologic confirmation of MF.MF is a concomitant pathologic finding related to hypertrophic response in severe AS. It would be beneficial to have reliable imaging methods to assess MF.CMR and STE were performed in 71 consecutive patients with severe AS before aortic valve replacement. The extracellular volume (ECV) and native T1 values obtained by CMR and global longitudinal strain (GLS) values by STE were measured. The degree of MF was quantified by using Masson trichrome stain in myocardial biopsy specimens obtained intraoperatively. The study population was divided into 3 groups according to the degree of MF on histology (mild, moderate, and severe MF).The severe MF group had a higher incidence of heart failure (HF) and diastolic dysfunction than the mild and moderate MF groups. The ECV (r = 0.465; p 0.0001), GLS (r = 0.421; p = 0.0003), and native T1 (r = 0.429; p = 0.0002) values were significantly correlated with the degree of MF. GLS was moderately correlated with ECV (r = 0.455; p = 0.0001) and less with the native T1 (r = 0.372; p = 0.0014) value. The model using ECV (RECV as assessed by CMR could be an ideal surrogate marker for diffuse MF in patients with severe AS among all 3 models considered.

End-stage phase of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ES-HCM) is a recognized part of HCM disease spectrum. Information on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) studies for ES-HCM especially for those without ventricular remodeling has been limited. We aimed to evaluate the morpho-functional and tissue features of ES-HCM with or without ventricular remodeling and to explore CMR prognostic value in these patients. We analysed CMR scans of sixty-three ES-HCM patients and divided them into those with ventricular dilatation (D-ES, n = 41) and those with normal ventricular size (N-ES, n = 22). Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the association between CMR parameters and outcomes. Patients in D-ES showed hypokinetic-dilated HCM phenotype, while patients in N-ES showed hypokinetic-restrictive HCM phenotype. LGE extent was significantly larger in D-ES (34.7% ± 15.4% vs. 22.8% ± 7.7%; P

In 2010, the Asian Society of Cardiovascular Imaging (ASCI) provided recommendations for cardiac CT and MRI, and this document reflects an update of the 2010 ASCI appropriate use criteria (AUC). In 2016, the ASCI formed a new working group for revision of AUC for noninvasive cardiac imaging. A major change that we made in this document is the rating of various noninvasive tests (exercise electrocardiogram, echocardiography, positron emission tomography, single-photon emission computed tomography, radionuclide imaging, cardiac magnetic resonance, and cardiac computed tomography/angiography), compared side by side for their applications in various clinical scenarios. Ninety-five clinical scenarios were developed from eight selected pre-existing guidelines and classified into four sections as follows: 1) detection of coronary artery disease, symptomatic or asymptomatic; 2) cardiac evaluation in various clinical scenarios; 3) use of imaging modality according to prior testing; and 4) evaluation of cardiac structure and function. The clinical scenarios were scored by a separate rating committee on a scale of 1-9 to designate appropriate use, uncertain use, or inappropriate use according to a modified Delphi method. Overall, the AUC ratings for CT were higher than those of previous guidelines. These new AUC provide guidance for clinicians choosing among available testing modalities for various cardiac diseases and are also unique, given that most previous AUC for noninvasive imaging include only one imaging technique. As cardiac imaging is multimodal in nature, we believe that these AUC will be more useful for clinical decision making.

Objective Optimal treatment of spontaneous isolated celiac artery dissection (SICAD) is not well established because the natural history of this rare disease is poorly understood. We analyzed the natural history of patients who underwent conservative treatment. Methods The study included 28 patients with SICAD from December 2008 to January 2017. Our institutional policy of first-line treatment for SICAD patients was conservative, and invasive procedures were reserved for unstable complications such as severe persistent pain, significant organ malperfusion, rapid aneurysmal change, and rupture or concealed rupture. Demographics, clinical features, morphologic characteristics on computed tomography, treatment modalities, and follow-up results of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. Results Mean age was 52 years, and 89% of patients were male; 86% presented with pain, mostly abdominal, and 14% of cases were detected incidentally on abdominal imaging. None of these patients had unstable complications on admission, and all underwent initial conservative treatment. During the follow-up period (22 ± 20 months), aneurysmal change and propagation of thrombosis were noted in one patient and two patients, respectively, all of whom were managed conservatively without adverse clinical events. No difference in clinical and morphologic outcomes was noted between patients who were treated with antihypertensive therapy and those who were not. Patients with intramural hematoma on initial images showed dynamic vascular remodeling (partial to complete resorption) during the follow-up period compared with patients who had dominant intimal flap on initial images. Conclusions The clinical course of patients with SICAD was benign. Even progressive vascular changes during follow-up did not require invasive treatment. Antihypertensive therapy might not modify the clinical course. The short-term results of conservative management are encouraging, but further evaluation with long-term follow-up in a large population is needed.

Background A cardioprotective role of morphine acting via opioid receptors has been demonstrated, and previous preclinical studies have reported that morphine could reduce reperfusion injury and myocardial infarct size in a way similar to that of ischemic periconditioning. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of intracoronary morphine on myocardial infarct size in patients with ST ‐elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods and Results This study was designed as a 2‐center, prospective, randomized, open‐label, blinded end point trial. A total of 91 ST ‐elevation myocardial infarction patients with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade of 0 to 1 undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention were randomly assigned to a morphine or control group at a 1:1 ratio. The morphine group received 3 mg of morphine sulfate diluted with 3 mL of normal saline, and the control group received 3 mL of normal saline into a coronary artery immediately after restoration of coronary flow. The primary end point was myocardial infarct size assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging The cardiac magnetic resonance images were evaluated for 42 and 38 patients in the morphine and control groups, respectively. Myocardial infarct size was not different between the 2 groups (25.6±11.2% versus 24.6±10.5%, P =0.77), nor was the extent of microvascular obstruction or myocardial salvage index (6.0±6.3% versus 5.1±4.6%, P =0.91; 31.1±15.2% versus 30.3±10.9%, P =0.75, respectively). There was no difference in peak creatine kinase‐ MB level, final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow, myocardial brush grade, or complete resolution of ST ‐segment. Conclusions Intracoronary morphine administration could not reduce myocardial infarct size in ST ‐elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention. Clinical Trial Registration URL : http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT 01738100.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the image quality and radiation dose in adenosine-stress dynamic myocardial CT perfusion (CTP) imaging using different tube voltages, tube current settings, and contrast materials containing different iodine concentrations in subjects with normal body mass indices (BMI). We included 92 patients (BMI range, 18.5-24.8) who underwent dynamic CTP for the evaluation of coronary artery disease using a 128-slice dual-source computed tomography. The protocols employed the following dynamic scan parameters: protocol I with 100 kV, fixed tube current (FTC), and medium-concentration contrast material (MC, 350 mg iodine/mL); protocol II with 100 kV, automatic tube current modulation (ATCM), and MC; protocol III with 100 kV, ATCM, and high-concentration contrast material (HC, 400 mg iodine/mL); protocol IV with 80 kV, adopted FTC, and HC. Subjective image quality on a 1-3 point scale and objective image quality with respect to the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were assessed. Protocol IV showed higher CNR and SNR than the other protocols (P < 0.01), while the CNR and SNR values did not significantly differ among the other three protocols. There was no significant difference in subjective image quality among the protocols. The radiation dose in protocol IV was the lowest among the protocols (P < 0.01), while protocol IV resulted in a 54% overall reduction in mean effective radiation dose compared with protocol I. Dynamic myocardial CTP performed at 80 kV with adapted FTC provided high CNR and SNR while preserving subjective image quality and reducing radiation exposure.

Although obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality, several studies have reported that patients with obesity who have suffered acute myocardial infarction or have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have better clinical outcomes than their normal weight counterparts. We evaluated the impact of overweight on myocardial infarct size in patients undergoing primary PCI for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).We performed contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging on 193 patients undergoing primary PCI for STEMI. Infarct size was measured with delayed-enhancement imaging and the area at risk was quantified on T2-weighted images.Baseline characteristics and angiographic findings were not significantly different between the normal weight group (body mass index [BMI] 25 kg/m(2), n = 110) and the overweight group (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2), n = 83). The median percent infarct volume and area at risk were significantly smaller in the overweight group than the normal weight group (17.9% [9.0-24.9%] vs. 20.8% [11.4-33.1%], p = 0.04 and 29.4% [20.5-37.6%] vs. 36.0% [25.7-49.6%], p 0.01, respectively). However, the myocardial salvage index was not different between the 2 groups (overweight group vs. normal weight group, 43.2% vs. 39.2%, p = 0.69). BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2) was an independent predictor of smaller infarct size in multivariate analysis (Odds ratio 0.51, 95% Confidence interval 0.27-0.97, p = 0.039).Overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) is independently associated with smaller infarct size in patients undergoing primary PCI for STEMI.

Background— Coronary collateral flow is an alternative source of myocardial perfusion in patients with totally occluded coronary arteries. Clinical evaluation of collateral flow has been limited by the need of invasive measurements. We investigated whether noninvasive coronary computed tomographic angiography can evaluate the angiographic extent of coronary collateral flow. Methods and Results— We enrolled 325 coronary computed tomographic angiography cases with angiographically confirmed chronic total occlusion (median age, 63 years; men 83%). Transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG), which reflects the kinetics of contrast media in coronary artery, of an entire artery as well as of a distal vessel was assessed to evaluate the flow in entire vessel and distal vessel. TAGs were validated against visually assessed angiographic collateral connection and Rentrop grading. TAG of an entire artery increased consistently according to the angiographic extent of collateral flow ( P c -statistics, 0.72; sensitivity, 65%; specificity, 73%; positive predictive value, 52%; negative predictive value, 82%). TAG of a distal vessel could discriminate the antegrade (n=143) and retrograde (n=182) flows in distal artery (cutoff, 0.0 Hounsfield unit/10 mm; c -statistics, 0.88; sensitivity, 78%; specificity, 85%; positive predictive value, 87%; negative predictive value, 75%). Conclusions— TAG, an intracoronary attenuation-based analysis of coronary computed tomographic angiography, moderately reflected the functional extent and direction of collateral flow.

Background Cardiac myxomas are sources of systemic embolism. Currently a large volume of chest CT and calcium-scoring CT scans are performed without contrast injection. Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic capability of non-contrast CT covering heart in detecting cardiac myxomas. Material and Methods This retrospective study included 36 non-contrast CT scans of 36 consecutive patients (16 men, 20 women) who underwent CT scan before surgery for left atrial myxomas and 20 patients without myxoma as a control group. Two independent readers who were blinded to medical information reviewed non-contrast CT scans of 36 patients with cardiac myxomas and 20 scans in the control group patients. They determined the presence of lesions suspicious of myxomas using a five-point scale. The other reader measured attenuation number in the non-calcific areas of the tumors and sizes of the masses on the non-contrast CT images. Results The average attenuation of cardiac myxoma (22.5 Hounsfield units [HU]; range, 8.9–32.9 HU) and adjacent unopacified blood (44.6 HU; range, 31.5–57 HU) were significantly different ( P Conclusion Non-contrast CT scan is useful for detecting cardiac myxomas. Therefore, radiologists should be familiar with imaging findings of cardiac myxomas on non-contrast CT.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of an automated computer-assisted detection (CAD) algorithm to detect coronary artery stenosis on coronary CT angiography (CTA).We investigated 128 consecutive patients (76 men, 52 women; mean [SD] age, 64 ± 11 years) who had acute chest pain and underwent 128-slice dual-source coronary CTA and invasive coronary angiography at an emergency department. All coronary CTA data were analyzed using customized software for the detection of coronary artery stenosis without human interaction. The diagnostic performance of a CAD algorithm for evaluation of stenosis of at least 50% of vessel diameter was compared with that of human interpretation of coronary CTA, with invasive coronary angiography as a reference standard.Of the 128 patients, 25 patients were excluded because of failure of data processing (n = 9) or history of stent insertion or coronary artery bypass graft (n = 16). Invasive coronary angiography revealed significant stenosis in 62% (64/103) of the remaining patients. In detecting significant stenosis, the CAD algorithm yielded 100% sensitivity, 23.1% specificity, 68.1% positive predictive value (PPV), and 100% negative predictive value (NPV) in per-patient analysis. On per-vessel analysis, the CAD algorithm yielded 90.0% sensitivity, 62.4% specificity, 40.1% PPV, and 95.7% NPV. Human interpretation of coronary CTA yielded 98.4% and 96.7% sensitivities, 79.5% and 95.0% specificities, 88.7% and 84.5% PPVs, and 96.9% and 99.0% NPVs for diagnosing significant stenosis on per-patient and per-vessel analyses, respectively.The CAD algorithm yields a high NPV in detecting stenosis of at least 50% on coronary CTA. As a second "reader," the CAD algorithm may help to exclude significant coronary stenosis in patients with acute chest pain at an emergency department.

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of adenosine-stress dual-energy myocardial computed tomography perfusion (DECTP) imaging using 128-slice dual-source computed tomography (CT) for the detection of myocardial perfusion defects in comparison with stress-perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS This prospective study included 50 patients (mean age, 66 [9] years; 64% men) with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent adenosine-stress DECTP using 128-slice dual-source CT as well as adenosine-stress cardiac MRI using a 1.5-T scanner. Estimates of diagnostic accuracy in detecting myocardial perfusion defects were calculatedand compared with those of cardiac MRI. RESULTS The estimates of diagnostic accuracy in detecting myocardial perfusion defects using DECTP were as follows: sensitivity, 77% (95% confidence interval [CI], 67%-87%); specificity, 94% (95% CI, 92%-95%); positive predictive value, 53% (95% CI, 44%-63%); and negative predictive value, 98% (95% CI, 97%-99%). The results of DECTP imaging were positively correlated with those of cardiac MRI (r = 0.602, P < 0.001). Mean effective radiation doses for stress DECTP imaging and rest coronary CTA were 6.5 (2.2) and 4.9 (1.7) mSv, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Adenosine-stress DECTP imaging enables detection of myocardial ischemia. However, further technical developments are necessary to reduce artifacts and improve the sensitivity of DECTP.

We sought to determine the relationship between white blood cell count (WBCc) and infarct size assessed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In 198 patients undergoing primary PCI for STEMI, WBCc was measured upon arrival and CMR was performed a median of 7 days after the index event. Infarct size was measured on delayed enhancement imaging and the area at risk (AAR) was quantified on T2-weighted images. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the high WBCc group (>11,000/mm3, n = 91) and low WBCc group (≤11,000/mm3, n = 107). The median infarct size was larger in the high WBCc group than in the low WBCc group [22.0 % (16.7–33.9) vs. 14.7 % (8.5–24.7), p

As cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has become widely used for evaluation of myocardial viability after acute myocardial infarction, the additional value of CMR parameters for prediction of left ventricle (LV) remodeling has been receiving interest. The aim of the study was to investigate the additional predictive value of CMR parameters for LV remodeling after successful reperfusion of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) using multiple predictive models. LV remodeling was defined as ≥20% increase in end-diastolic volume at 6 month follow-up echocardiography. Using multiple stepwise regression analysis, conventional risk model was classified as following; model 1 (clinical factors), model 2 (model 1 + angiographic factors), model 3 (model 2 + echocardiographic factors) and CMR-added model; model 4 (model 3 + CMR factors). Among 262 enrolled patients, 25.1% showed LV remodeling. There were significant increments of c-statistics from the predictive model 1 to model 3 (AUC; 0.675 [0.60–0.75], 0.708 [0.64–0.78], 0.756 [0.69–0.82], respectively. all p

Background There is no published data on the prognostic value of global myocardial perfusion values at stress dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging (CTMPI). Methods Data of 144 patients from 6 centers who had undergone coronary CT angiography (coronary CTA) and CTMPI were assessed. Coronary CTA studies were acquired at rest; CTMPI was performed under vasodilator stress. Coronary CTA data were evaluated for coronary artery stenosis (≥50% luminal narrowing) on a per-vessel basis. Volumes-of-interest were placed over the entire left ventricular myocardium to obtain global myocardial blood flow (MBF), myocardial blood volume (MBV), and volume transfer constant (K trans ). Follow-up was obtained at 6/12/18 months. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE, defined as cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, unstable angina requiring hospitalization, and revascularization) served as the endpoint. Results MACE occurred in 40 patients (nonfatal myocardial infarction, n = 1, unstable angina, n = 13, PCI, n = 23, and CABG, n = 3). Patients with global MBF of p = 0.02). This association remained significant after adjusting for age, gender, and clinical risk factors (HR 2.17, 95%CI: 1.16–4.06, p = 0.02), after further adjusting for presence of ≥50% stenosis at coronary CTA (HR 2.18, 95%CI: 1.16–4.10, p = 0.02) and when excluding early ( trans were not independent predictors of MACE. Conclusion Global quantification of left ventricular MBF at stress dynamic CTMPI may have incremental predictive value for future MACE over clinical risk factors and assessment of stenosis at coronary CTA.

Background— Despite complete interruption of antegrade coronary artery flow in the setting of a chronic total occlusion (CTO), clinical recognition of myocardial infarction is often challenging. Using cardiac MRI, we investigated the frequency and extent of myocardial infarction in patients with CTO, and assessed their relationship with regional systolic function and the extent of angiographic collateral flow. Methods and Results— We included 170 consecutive patients (median age, 62 years) with angiographically documented CTO. Regional late gadolinium enhancement and wall motion score index were assessed by cardiac MRI with the use of a 17-segment model. Angiographic collateral flow was assessed by the collateral connection grade and the Rentrop score. Evidence of previous myocardial infarction was found in 25% of patients by ECG Q waves, in 69% by regional wall motion abnormality, and in 86% of patients by late gadolinium enhancement. Increased angiographic collateral flow was associated with a lower frequency of Q waves on ECG, and a lower regional wall motion score index, late gadolinium enhancement volume (%), and degree of late gadolinium enhancement transmurality (all P Conclusions— The frequency of myocardial infarction in territories subtended by CTO is significantly higher than previously recognized. The degree of myocardial injury downstream epicardial CTO is inversely correlated with the degree of angiographic collaterals.

Background— We developed a model that predicts difficulty of percutaneous coronary intervention for coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) using coronary computed tomographic angiography. Methods and Results— A total of 684 CTO lesions with preprocedural computed tomographic angiography were enrolled from 4 centers. Data were randomly divided into derivation and validation datasets at 2:1 ratio. The end point was successful guidewire crossing ≤30 minutes, which was met in 50%. The KCCT (Korean Multicenter CTO CT Registry) score was developed based on independent predictors identified by multivariable analysis, which were proximal blunt entry, proximal side branch, bending, occlusion length ≥15 mm, severe calcification, whole luminal calcification, reattempt, and ≥12 months or unknown duration of occlusion. The KCCT score was compared with the other prediction scores, including angiography-based J-CTO, PROGRESS-CTO, CL-score, and CT-based CT-RECTOR. The probability of guidewire crossing ≤30 minutes declined consistently from 100% to 0% according to the KCCT score ( P P P P Conclusions— KCCT scoring could predict successful guidewire crossing ≤30 minutes and also procedural success. KCCT scoring may enable noninvasive grading difficulty of CTO percutaneous coronary intervention.

Compared with clopidogrel, ticagrelor improves clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome [(1)][1]. However, the mechanism of ticagrelor’s benefits has not been fully elucidated. Although recent animal studies demonstrated that ticagrelor reduces reperfusion injury and limits

Background Triple rule-out computed tomography (TRO CT) is a CT protocol designed to simultaneously evaluate the coronary, aorta, and pulmonary arteries. Purpose To evaluate potential diagnostic performance of TRO CT with restricted volume coverage for detection of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) and aortic dissection (AD). Material and Methods This study included 1224 consecutive patients with acute chest pain who visited the emergency department and underwent TRO CT using a 128-slice dual-source CT. Image data were reconstructed according to the display field of view (DFOV) of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and TRO CT protocols in each patient. The presence of PTE and AD was evaluated by independent observers in each DFOV. The radiation dose was calculated to evaluate the potential benefits by restricting z-axis coverage to cardiac scan range instead of the whole thorax. Results Among all patients, 22 cases with PTE (1.9%) and nine cases with AD (0.8%) were found. Except for one PTE case, all cases were detected on both DFOV of TRO CT and CCTA. Mean effective dose for evaluation of entire thorax and cardiac scan coverage were 5.9 ± 1.1 mSv and 3.5 ± 0.7 mSv, respectively. Conclusion Isolated PTE and AD outside the CCTA DFOV rarely occur. Therefore, modified TRO CT protocol using cardiac scan coverage can be adopted to detect PTE and AD with reduced radiation dose.

Background Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is an unclassified cardiomyopathy and there is no consensus on the diagnosis of LVNC. The aims of this study were to establish quantitative methods to diagnose LVNC using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and to suggest refined semi-quantitative methods to diagnose LVNC. Methods This retrospective study included 145 subjects with mild to severe trabeculation of the left ventricle myocardium [24 patients with isolated LVNC, 33 patients with non-isolated LVNC, 30 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with non-compaction (DCMNC), 27 patients with DCM, and 31 healthy control subjects with mild trabeculation]. The left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, global LV myocardial volume, trabeculated LV myocardial volume, and number of segments with late gadolinium enhancement were measured. In addition, the most prominent non-compacted (NC), compacted (C), normal mid-septum, normal mid-lateral wall, and apical trabeculation thicknesses on the end-diastolic frames of the long-axis slices were measured. Results In the patients with isolated LVNC, the percentage of trabeculated LV volume (TV%, ​42.6 ± 13.8 %) ​relative to total LV myocardial volume was 1.4 times higher than in those with DCM (30.3 ± 14.3 %, p

Little is known about the association between shock index and myocardial injury in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).We analyzed cardiac magnetic resonance imaging from 306 consecutive patients treated with primary PCI for STEMI. The patients were divided into the following 2 groups: initial shock index0.7 (n = 88) and ≤0.7 (n = 218). Shock index was calculated as the ratio of heart rate to systolic blood pressure based on the first recorded vital signs upon arrival. The primary end point was myocardial infarct size.The shock index0.7 group, exhibited a lower baseline left ventricular ejection fraction (P = 0.01), higher N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide level (P = 0.01), higher Killip class (P0.01) and higher prevalence of diabetes (P = 0.02) than the shock index ≤0.7 group. There were no significant differences in the angiographic or procedural characteristics between the 2 groups. In cardiac magnetic resonance imaging analysis, the shock index0.7 group had a larger infarct size than did the shock index ≤0.7 group (22.9 ± 11.2% versus 19.2 ± 11.5%, P0.01). According to multivariate analysis, shock index0.7 was associated with large myocardial infarctions (odds ratio = 3.02; 95% CI: 1.62-5.65; P0.01).Initial shock index is a potentially reliable predictor of myocardial injury in patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI.

Clinical evidence supporting triple rule-out computed tomography (TRO-CT) for rapid screening of cardiovascular disease is limited. We investigated the clinical value of TRO-CT in patients with acute chest pain.We retrospectively enrolled 1024 patients who visited the emergency department (ED) with acute chest pain and underwent TRO-CT using a 128-slice CT system. TRO-CT was classified as "positive" if it revealed clinically significant cardiovascular disease including obstructive coronary artery disease, pulmonary thromboembolism, or acute aortic syndrome. The clinical endpoint was occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) within 30 days, defined by a composite of all cause death, myocardial infarction, revascularization, major cardiovascular surgery, or thrombolytic therapy. Clinical risk scores for acute chest pain including TIMI, GRACE, Diamond-Forrester, and HEART were determined and compared to the TRO-CT findings.TRO-CT revealed clinically significant cardiovascular disease in 239 patients (23.3%). MACE occurred in 119 patients (49.8%) with positive TRO-CT and in 7 patients (0.9%) with negative TRO-CT (p 0.001). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of TRO-CT was 95%, 88%, 54%, and 99%, respectively. TRO-CT was a better discriminator between patients with vs. without events as compared to clinical risk scores (c-statistics = 0.91 versus 0.64 to 0.71; integrated discrimination improvement = 0.31 to 0.37; p 0.001 for all comparisons). Patients with a negative TRO-CT showed shorter ED stay times and admission rates compared to patients with positive TRO-CT, irrespective of clinical risk scores (p 0.001 for all comparisons).Triple rule-out CT has high predictive performance for 30-day MACE and permits rapid triage and low admission rates irrespective of clinical risk scores.

Aim To analyse the multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with atresia of the coronary sinus orifice (CSA). Materials and methods MDCT findings of 15 consecutive adult patients with CSAs were retrospectively analysed. The patients underwent contrast-enhanced electrocardiography-gated MDCT ( n = 13) or both CT and MRI ( n = 2). Results The mean size of the coronary sinus (CS) was 14.2 mm (range 5.5–24 mm) and 11 patients (73.3%) showed CS dilatation (diameter ≥12 mm). The mean length of the atretic CS segment was 2.9 mm (range 0–8 mm). Different forms of venous collateral pathways were observed in the CSA patients. Nine (60%) of the 15 CSA patients had communication between the right atrium (RA; n = 6) or LA ( n = 5) and CS via intraseptal veins; six patients (40%) had persistent left superior caval veins; communications were also observed between the CS and RA ( n = 4) or LA ( n = 4); two patients had collateral venous pathways between dilated cardiac veins with RA; two patients had unroofing of the CS as outlet channels. Nine patients (60%) had cardiac anomalies: coronary artery fistula to the pulmonary artery ( n = 6) or left ventricular base and CS ( n = 1), atrial septal defects ( n = 2), and a ventricular septal defect ( n = 1). Conclusion CSA patients have venous collateral pathways and a high incidence of associated cardiovascular anomalies such as coronary artery fistulae and atrial septal defects.

We sought to determine which contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) parameter is the best predictor for left ventricular (LV) remodeling and clinical outcomes after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In 135 patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI, CE-MRI was performed at a median of 7 days after PCI. Echocardiography was performed soon after PCI and at a follow-up visit. LV remodeling was defined as an increase in end-diastolic volume index ≥20 % on follow-up echocardiography. Several CE-MRI parameters such as infarct size, transmurality, microvascular obstruction (MVO), and hemorrhagic infarction were tested using a 17-myocardial segment model. Optimal cut-off values were derived from receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. Twenty-eight patients (21 %) demonstrated LV remodeling. Although the addition of transmural necrotic segment count, infarct size, and MVO segment count to clinical models improved the prediction of LV remodeling in multivariable regression analysis, transmural necrotic segment count had better incremental predictive value than other CE-MRI parameters. The aggregate consideration of infarct size (cut-off ≥25 %), transmural necrotic segment count (≥5), and MVO segment count (≥2) yielded better diagnostic performance than each of the individual parameters in ROC analysis (P

Objectives The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic performance of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA)-derived computed fractional flow reserve (FFRCT) and transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG) for the diagnosis of lesion-specific ischemia. Background Although CCTA is commonly used to detect coronary artery disease (CAD), it cannot reliably assess the functional significance of CAD. Novel technologies based on CCTA were developed to integrate anatomical and functional assessment of CAD; however, the diagnostic performance of these methods has never been compared. Methods Fifty-three consecutive patients who underwent CCTA and coronary angiography with FFR measurement were included. Independent core laboratories determined CAD severity by CCTA, TAG, and FFRCT. The TAG was defined as the linear regression coefficient between intraluminal radiological attenuation and length from the ostium; FFRCT was computed from CCTA data using computational fluid dynamics technology. Results Among 82 vessels, 32 lesions (39%) had ischemia by invasive FFR (FFR ≤0.80). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and positive and negative likelihood ratio of TAG (≤ −0.654 HU/mm) for detection of ischemia were 38%, 88%, 67%, 69%, 3.13, and 0.71, respectively; and those of FFRCT were 81%, 94%, 90%, 89%, 13.54, and 0.20, respectively. Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed a significantly larger area under the curve (AUC) for FFRCT (0.94) compared to that for TAG (0.63, p Conclusions Noninvasive FFR computed from CCTA provides better diagnostic performance for the diagnosis of lesion-specific ischemia compared to CCTA stenosis and TAG.

The aim of this study was to compare the radiation dose and image quality of different adenosine-stress dynamic myocardial perfusion CT protocols using a 128-slice dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) scanner. We included 330 consecutive patients with suspected coronary artery disease. Protocols employed the following dynamic scan parameters: protocol I, a 30-s scan with a fixed tube current (FTC, n = 172); protocol II, a 30-s scan using an automatic tube current modulation (ATCM) technique (n = 108); protocol III, a 14-s scan using an ATCM (n = 50). To determine the scan interval for protocol III, we analyzed time-attenuation curves of 26 patients with myocardial perfusion who had been scanned using protocol I or II. The maximum attenuation difference between normal and abnormal myocardium occurred at 18.0 s to 30.3 s after initiation of contrast injection. Myocardial perfusion images of FTC and ATCM were of diagnostic image quality based on visual analysis. The mean radiation dose associated with protocols I, II, and III was 12.1 ± 1.6 mSv, 7.7 ± 2.5 mSv, and 3.8 ± 1.3 mSv, respectively (p < 0.01). Use of a dose-modulation technique and a 14-s scan duration for adenosine-stress CT enables significant dose reduction while maintaining diagnostic image quality.

We validated and compared transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG) and corrected coronary opacification (CCO) of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) with invasively measured fractional flow reserve (FFR).One of the major limitations of CCTA is the discrepancy between angiographical stenosis and ischaemia-causing stenosis. Recently two new CCTA analysis methods, TAG and CCO, have been attempted to overcome this limitation but without physiological validation.We measured TAG and CCO of 97 major epicardial coronary arteries from 63 patients who underwent CCTA and followed by invasive coronary angiography and FFR. Diagnostic performance of TAG and CCO was assessed using FFR0.80 as the reference standard. The overall diagnostic performance of TAG and CCO on a per-vessel basis was moderate and similar (c-statistic = 0.696 vs. 0.637, P = 0.29). The sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of TAG cut-off ≤-0.654 for FFR0.80 were 47.5, 91.2, 79.2, and 71.2%, and those of CCO cut-off0.063 were 65.0, 61.4, 54.2, and 71.4%. TAG showed an incremental value to the diagnostic performance of CCTA but CCO did not (c-statistic =0.726 vs. 0.809, P = 0.025; c-statistic =0.726 vs. 0.784, P = 0.09). In net reclassification improvement (NRI) analysis, addition of TAG to CCTA did not result in significant reclassification (NRI = 1.0%, P = 0.41) and addition of CCO to CCTA resulted in negative reclassification (NRI = -9.3%, P = 0.036).Intracoronary attenuation-based CCTA analyses, TAG and CCO, showed moderate correlation with physiological coronary artery stenosis. The incremental value of TAG or CCO to the evaluation of haemodynamically stenosis by CCTA seemed to be limited.

Good aerobic fitness is associated with favorable cardiovascular outcomes. However, it is not well known whether aerobic fitness correlates to the degree of coronary atherosclerosis, which affects cardiovascular prognosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between aerobic fitness and coronary atherosclerosis. A total of 8,565 apparently healthy men underwent routine health screening, including both cardiopulmonary function testing and coronary calcium scoring. The subjects with clinical cardiovascular disease or abnormal exercise electrocardiographic findings were excluded. A treadmill exercise test was done using the modified Bruce protocol, and the Agatston coronary artery calcium (CAC) score was measured using multidetector computed tomography. Advanced CAC was defined as a score >75th percentile according to the age group. The mean age was 51 ± 7 years, the average maximum oxygen uptake was 32 ± 5 ml/kg/min, and 34% had a positive CAC score. On univariate analysis, age, blood pressure, lipid profile, body mass index, hemoglobin A1c, fasting glucose, calculated 10-year risk for coronary disease, and maximum oxygen uptake were significantly associated with advanced CAC. In the multiple logistic regression model, the subjects in the highest quartile of the maximum oxygen uptake for age were less likely to have advanced CAC for age compared to those in the lowest quartile (odds ratio 0.60, 95% confidence interval 0.48 to 0.73), with adjustment for age, hypertension, hemoglobin A1c, current smoking, body mass index, and regular exercise habit. In conclusion, greater aerobic fitness was associated with less prevalent advanced coronary atherosclerosis in an asymptomatic male population. The degree of subclinical coronary artery disease might be 1 of the mechanisms connecting aerobic fitness and cardiovascular outcome.

Background Recently developed digital tomosynthesis has shown improved detection of pulmonary lesions with a radiation dose comparable to conventional CR but with a much lower radiation dose than CT. Purpose To compare the diagnostic performance of digital tomosynthesis (DT) with that of chest radiography (CR) for the detection of aortic arch calcification (AAC). Material and Methods The study included 100 patients who underwent multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), DT, and CR (DT and CR were obtained within one week of CT examination). We evaluated and compared the diagnostic performances of DT and CR for the detection of AAC with MDCT as the reference standard. The extent (four grades 0–3) of AAC on DT and CR was also compared with CT calcium score. Inter-observer agreement was analyzed by using kappa statistics. Results On DT, overall accuracy for AAC was superior to that of CR (94% and 71%, respectively, P < 0.01). Inter-observer agreement was good with DT and CR (kappa values = 0.74 and 0.62, respectively) for the presence of AAC, and good with DT and moderate with CR (kappa value = 0.64 and 0.53, respectively) for AAC grading. The overall correlation coefficient on AAC grading between DT and CT (calcium score) was superior to that between CR and CT (0.90 and 0.60, respectively). Conclusion DT is superior to CR for detection and extent evaluation of AAC.

Fragmented QRS (fQRS) on 12-lead electrocardiography reflects conduction delay caused by myocardial fibrosis and dysfunction. Ventricular fibrosis detected by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is reportedly correlated with worse clinical outcomes in adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). The aim of this study was to assess whether the presence of fQRS is associated with right ventricular (RV) fibrosis or dysfunction in this patient group. In 37 consecutive patients (median age 30 years, median age at repair 6.6 years), the number of leads showing fQRS, defined as the presence of >2 notches on the R/S wave in ≥2 contiguous leads, was counted. RV systolic function, dilatation, and LGE score were measured using LGE CMR. Ventricular LGE was observed mainly at the previous surgical sites: the RV outflow tract (33 of 37), ventricular septal defect patch region (15 of 37), and RV anterior wall (11 of 37). Fragmented QRS was found mostly in the right and mid precordial leads. The fQRS group (n = 20) demonstrated higher RV LGE scores (p

Tuberculosis generally affects the respiratory tract. In developing nations, the pericardium is the most common location of extrapulmonary tuberculosis; however, tuberculous pericarditis rarely appears as a localized mass or tuberculoma. We present here a case of a 62-year-old woman with pericardial tuberculoma. She had a history of effusive tuberculous pericarditis and drainage. Because she had taken regular medication over a period of six months, the pericardial mass with an adjacent lung nodule newly detected on the chest radiogram was initially suspected of being invasive lung cancer. Prior to pathologic confirmation, precise information from imaging tests, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography-computed tomography are helpful when making decisions regarding which methods should be used for surgical approach and treatment. Through imaging, our case showed typical features of pericardial tuberculoma and a favorable clinical course after two months with a change in antituberculous therapy.

ASCI has continued to grow over the past 5 years since its establishment in 2006. Recent record shows total membership of 804 from 34 countries and 1,032 attendants from 32 countries at the last annual congress in Hong Kong in 2011. ASCI publishes ASCI Special Issues twice a year in the International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging. The Asian CCT and CMR Guideline Working Group of ASCI published guidelines and protocol in the ASCI Special Issue of the International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging in 2010. ASCI launched the [ASCI](2) (Advanced School for Core Investigators from ASCI) Program with the aim to recruit young ASCI members of high potential and train them to become representative scholars of Asia, which was met with much success in 2010 and 2011. ASCI is trying to widen its scope by collaborating with other cardiovascular imaging societies including the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology. Multicenter trials by ASCI researchers and cardiac imaging registry in the Asian population are being designed to represent ASCI.

We report a case of early non-invasive diagnosis of acute eosinophilic myopericarditis (AEM) by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) before cardiac biopsy. A 35-yr-old woman presented with a flu-like illness, followed by pleuritic chest pain and shortness of breath. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed mild left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction with borderline LV wall thickness and moderate pericardial effusion. The patient had peripheral eosinophilia and CMR was performed immediately at first day of visit before cardiac biopsy. CMR showed diffuse subepicardial high T2 signals and diffuse late gadolinium enhancement in LV. Steroid therapy was immediately initiated and patient's symptom was rapidly improved. Endomyocardial biopsy at hospital day 3 reported multifocal mild infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes. The patient was finally confirmed as acute eosinophilic myopericarditis. This presentation emphasizes on the role of CMR which enables early non-invasive diagnosis of AEM and visualize the extent of the myocarditis.

With recent developments in echocardiographic technology, a new system using real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) that allows single-beat acquisition of the entire volume of the left ventricle and incorporates algorithms for automated border detection has been introduced. Provided that these techniques are acceptably reliable, three-dimensional echocardiography may be much more useful for clinical practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of left ventricular (LV) volume measurements by RT3DE using the single-beat full-volume capture technique.One hundred nine consecutive patients scheduled for cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and RT3DE using the single-beat full-volume capture technique on the same day were recruited. LV end-systolic volume, end-diastolic volume, and ejection fraction were measured using an auto-contouring algorithm from data acquired on RT3DE. The data were compared with the same measurements obtained using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging.Volume measurements on RT3DE with single-beat full-volume capture were feasible in 84% of patients. Both interobserver and intraobserver variability of three-dimensional measurements of end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes showed excellent agreement. Pearson's correlation analysis showed a close correlation of end-systolic and end-diastolic volumes between RT3DE and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (r = 0.94 and r = 0.91, respectively, P.0001 for both). Bland-Altman analysis showed reasonable limits of agreement. After application of the auto-contouring algorithm, the rate of successful auto-contouring (cases requiring minimal manual corrections) was50%.RT3DE using single-beat full-volume capture is an easy and reliable technique to assess LV volume and systolic function in clinical practice. However, the image quality and low frame rate still limit its application for dilated left ventricles, and the automated volume analysis program needs more development to make it clinically efficacious.

Objectives The aims of this study were to: 1) compare early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E′) of septal annulus (SE′) with E′ of lateral mitral annulus (LE′) and right lateral tricuspid annulus (RE′) in patients with constrictive pericarditis (CP) and restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM); and 2) assess the relationship between pericardial thickness measured by computed tomography and lateral E′ velocity. Background The SE′ velocity has been shown to be able to distinguish CP from RCM. However, tissue Doppler parameters of LE′ and RE′ velocities in patients with CP have not been comprehensively analyzed in comparison with SE′. Moreover, the impact of pericardial thickness on the lateral annulus velocity has not been assessed. Methods Thirty-seven patients with CP, 35 patients with RCM, and 70 normal controls were evaluated with echocardiography including SE′, LE′, and RE′. In CP, the maximal pericardial thicknesses on both left and right ventricle were measured by computed tomography. Results Mean LE′/SE′ (ratio between mitral LE′ and SE′) was 0.94 ± 0.17 and RE′/SE′ (ratio between tricuspid RE′ and mitral SE′) was 0.81 ± 0.26 in patients with CP, which were lower than those in normal controls (LE′/SE′ 1.36 ± 0.24; RE′/SE′ 1.30 ± 0.32; both p Conclusions The ratio between lateral and septal E′ was significantly reduced in patients with CP compared with that in normal control patients and patients with RCM so that the reduced ratios of LE′/SE′ and RE′/SE′ appear to be a useful diagnostic parameter for CP. Moreover, reduced lateral E′ was correlated with the pericardial thickness on their respective sides.

Background and Purpose— The significance of asymptomatic coronary artery atherosclerosis burden (CAB) in the interpretation of stroke biomarker results is unknown. We investigated biomarker values to determine if they are related to cerebral atherosclerosis with consideration of CAB. Methods— We prospectively recruited patients with noncardioembolic ischemic cerebrovascular disease who had no history of coronary artery disease. Patient-based vascular assessment was conducted using MRA for the cerebral arteries and cardiac CT angiography for the coronary arteries. Biomarkers including the C-reactive protein and homocysteine were measured. Results— A total of 178 patients were included in the study. The extracranial carotid stenosis was associated with the highest quartile of C-reactive protein (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.04–4.55), whereas age was the only predictor of the highest quartile of homocysteine (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02–1.11). However, with consideration of CAB, CAB (≥2 segments with ≥50% stenosis) remained the only independent predictor for the highest quartile of C-reactive protein (OR, 8.69; 95% CI, 2.41–31.30) and homocysteine (OR, 11.44; 95% CI, 2.61–50.11). Conclusions— Our data emphasize the importance of CAB in biomarker studies of patients with ischemic stroke.

Objective To evaluate the natural course of coronary-to-pulmonary artery fistula (CPAF) detected on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and to propose potential treatment strategies. Materials and methods In this retrospective multicenter study, we assessed the CCTA reports of 188 CPAF patients evaluated between March 2009 and June 2016. Fifty-seven patients were excluded because their follow-up (FU) periods were less than 2 years. Information regarding demographic characteristics, past history, treatment method, and the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) during the FU period was collected. We analyzed the morphologic features of CPAF and the various factors associated with surgical treatment. Patients who had undergone FU CCTA after being diagnosed with CPAF were assessed for the presence of morphological changes on FU imaging. Results The median age of the study population was 63.0 years (range, 57.0-72.0 years), and the median FU period was 5.72 years (range, 4.08-6.96 years). The most common origin of the CPAF was both coronary arteries in 76 (58.0%) cases. An aneurysm or aneurysms was/were present in 41 (31.3%) cases. Fifty-four (41.2%) fistulas were less than 2 mm in size. Eight patients underwent surgery, and 123 (93.9%) patients received optimal medical treatment (OMT). The fistula size was significantly different between the two treatment groups (p = 0.013) and was the only factor associated with surgical treatment (odds ratio = 1.14, p = 0.021). Only one patient in the OMT group reported MACE during the FU period due to preexisting coronary artery disease. Twenty-nine patients (22.1%) underwent FU CCTA after CPAF diagnosis, with a median FU period of 3.81 years. None of the patients in the OMT group demonstrated morphological changes in the CPAF on FU imaging. Conclusion Most CPAFs identified on CCTA have a favorable prognosis. Observation with OMT is usually an appropriate strategy. Fistula size is a possible determinant for surgical treatment.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) can identify the nature of chronic total occlusion (CTO) plaque, which cannot be measured quantitatively using traditional coronary angiography, and predict the success of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).MDCT and 3-dimensional volumetric radiologic density analysis was performed for 186 consecutive CTO lesions. Plaque characteristics were determined using Hounsfield units (HU) of the image voxels. The remodeling index decreased significantly as the duration of CTO lengthened. Volumetric plaque analysis using HU showed that volumetric fraction of calcification (324HU) did not, but low-density plaque (49HU) did decrease significantly as the duration of CTO lengthened. The overall PCI success rate was 77.4% (144/186). In addition to the unknown or12-month occlusion duration (odds ratio [OR]=3.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.4-6.5, P=0.005), 2 MDCT parameters, that is, lesion length18mm (OR=2.7, 95%CI=1.1-6.4, P=0.024) and segmental radiologic density139HU (OR=2.7, 95%CI=1.2-6.4, P=0.021), were independent predictors of PCI failure on multivariate analysis.MDCT might be helpful for the prediction of successful CTO PCI. In addition to the occlusion duration, lesion length and high segmental radiologic density measured on MDCT were significant predictors of PCI failure in the present study.