Non-invasive assessment of coronary artery geometry using coronary CTA

• Published in: Journal of cardiovascular computed tomography Vol. 12; no. 3; pp. 257 - 260
• Main Authors: Tuncay, V., Vliegenthart, R., den Dekker, M.A.M., de Jonge, G.J., van Zandwijk, J.K., van der Harst, P., Oudkerk, M., van Ooijen, P.M.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2018
• Subjects: Aged; Atherosclerosis; Computed Tomography Angiography; Coronary Angiography - methods; Coronary artery disease; Coronary Artery Disease - diagnostic imaging; Coronary Artery Disease - pathology; Coronary artery plaque; Coronary computed tomography angiography; Coronary Stenosis - drug therapy; Coronary Stenosis - pathology; Coronary Vessels - diagnostic imaging; Coronary Vessels - pathology; Curvature; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Observer Variation; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Predictive Value of Tests; Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Reproducibility of Results; Severity of Illness Index; Tortuosity; Coronary artery plaque; Tortuosity; Coronary artery disease; Curvature; Coronary computed tomography angiography; Atherosclerosis
• ISSN: 1934-5925; 1876-861X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcct.2018.02.003

To assess the association of coronary artery geometry with the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD). 73 asymptomatic individuals at increased risk of CAD due to peripheral vascular disease (18 women, mean age 63.5 ± 8.2 years) underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (coronary CTA) using first generation dual-source CT. Curvature and tortuosity of the coronary arteries were quantified using semi-automatically generated centerlines. Measurements were performed for individual segments and for the entire artery. Coronary segments were labeled according to the presence of significant stenosis, defined as >70% luminal narrowing, and the presence of plaque. Comparisons were made by segment and by artery, using linear mixed models. Overall, median curvature and tortuosity were, respectively, 0.094 [0.071; 0.120] and 1.080 [1.040; 1.120] on a per-segment level, and 0.096 [0.078; 0.118] and 1.175 [1.090; 1.420] on a per-artery level. Curvature was associated with significant stenosis at a per-segment (p < 0.001) and per-artery level (p = 0.002). Curvature was 16.7% higher for segments with stenosis, and 13.8% higher for arteries with stenosis. Tortuosity was associated with significant stenosis only at the per-segment level (p = 0.002). Curvature was related to the presence of plaque at the per-segment (p < 0.001) and per-artery level (p < 0.001), tortuosity was only related to plaque at the per-segment level (p < 0.001). Coronary artery geometry as derived from coronary CTA is related to the presence of plaque and significant stenosis.