TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of patient and imaging characteristics on coronary CT angiography assessed pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation and gradient
AU - Boussoussou, Melinda
AU - Vattay, Borbála
AU - Szilveszter, Bálint
AU - Simon, Judit
AU - Lin, Andrew
AU - Vecsey-Nagy, Milán
AU - Konkoly, Gábor
AU - Merkely, Béla
AU - Maurovich-Horvat, Pál
AU - Dey, Damini
AU - Kolossváry, Márton
N1 - Funding Information:
Project no. RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00003 has been implemented with the support provided by the European Union. Project no. NVKP_16-1–2016-0017 (’National Heart Program’) has been implemented with the support provided from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund of Hungary, financed under the NVKP_16 funding scheme. Melinda Boussoussou MD was supported by the ÚNKP-22-3-II-SE (ÚNKP-22-3-II-SE-51), New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology from the source of the National research, Development and Innovation fund and by the EFOP-3.6.3-VEKOP-16-2017-00009 project fund.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
PY - 2023/1/1
Y1 - 2023/1/1
N2 - Background: Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) markers are promising indicators of inflammation. Objective: To determine the effect of patient and imaging parameters on the associations between non-calcified plaque (NCP) and PCAT attenuation and gradient. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with stable chest pain who underwent CCTA and had zero calcium scores. CCTA images were evaluated for the presence of NCP, obstructive stenosis, segment stenosis and involvement score (SSS, SIS), and high-risk plaque (HRP). PCAT markers were assessed using semi-automated software. Uni- and multivariable regression models correcting for patient and imaging characteristics between plaque and PCAT markers were evaluated. Results: Overall, 1652 patients had zero calcium score (mean age: 51 years ± 11 [SD], 871 women); PCAT attenuation values ranged between −123 HU and −51 HU, and 649 patients had plaque. In univariable analysis, the presence of NCP, SSS, SIS, and HRP were associated with PCAT attenuation (2, 1, 1, 6 HU; respectively; p < .001 all); while obstructive stenosis was not (1 HU, p = .58). In multivariable analysis, none of the plaque markers were associated with PCAT attenuation (0 HU p = .93, 0 HU p = .39, 1 HU p = .18, 2 HU p = .10, 1 HU p = .71, respectively), while patient and imaging characteristics showed significant associations, such as: male sex (1 HU, p = .003), heart rate [1/min] (−0.2 HU, p < .001), 120 kVp (8 HU, p < .001) and pixel spacing [mm3] (32 HU, p < .001). Similar results were observed for PCAT gradient. Conclusion: PCAT markers were significantly associated with NCP, however the associations did not persist following correction for patient and imaging characteristics.
AB - Background: Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) markers are promising indicators of inflammation. Objective: To determine the effect of patient and imaging parameters on the associations between non-calcified plaque (NCP) and PCAT attenuation and gradient. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with stable chest pain who underwent CCTA and had zero calcium scores. CCTA images were evaluated for the presence of NCP, obstructive stenosis, segment stenosis and involvement score (SSS, SIS), and high-risk plaque (HRP). PCAT markers were assessed using semi-automated software. Uni- and multivariable regression models correcting for patient and imaging characteristics between plaque and PCAT markers were evaluated. Results: Overall, 1652 patients had zero calcium score (mean age: 51 years ± 11 [SD], 871 women); PCAT attenuation values ranged between −123 HU and −51 HU, and 649 patients had plaque. In univariable analysis, the presence of NCP, SSS, SIS, and HRP were associated with PCAT attenuation (2, 1, 1, 6 HU; respectively; p < .001 all); while obstructive stenosis was not (1 HU, p = .58). In multivariable analysis, none of the plaque markers were associated with PCAT attenuation (0 HU p = .93, 0 HU p = .39, 1 HU p = .18, 2 HU p = .10, 1 HU p = .71, respectively), while patient and imaging characteristics showed significant associations, such as: male sex (1 HU, p = .003), heart rate [1/min] (−0.2 HU, p < .001), 120 kVp (8 HU, p < .001) and pixel spacing [mm3] (32 HU, p < .001). Similar results were observed for PCAT gradient. Conclusion: PCAT markers were significantly associated with NCP, however the associations did not persist following correction for patient and imaging characteristics.
KW - Coronary CT angiography
KW - Fat attenuation index
KW - Imaging biomarker
KW - Pericoronary adipose tissue
KW - Volumetric perivascular characterization index
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85149609071
U2 - 10.1016/j.jcct.2022.09.006
DO - 10.1016/j.jcct.2022.09.006
M3 - Article
C2 - 36266205
AN - SCOPUS:85149609071
SN - 1934-5925
VL - 17
SP - 34
EP - 42
JO - Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography
JF - Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography
IS - 1
ER -