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Coronary Artery Calcium Measurement with Multi–Detector Row CT and Low Radiation Dose: Comparison between 55 and 165 mAs¹

¹ From the Grace Ballas Research Unit of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Institute, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Sackler School of Medicine (J.S., M.M.) and Division of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (N.K.), Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Hashomer 52621, Israel; CT Engineering, Philips Medical Systems, Haifa, Israel (R.E.); Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel (S.A., J.R., Y.I.); and Department of Radiology, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel (D.S.). From the 2003 RSNA Annual Meeting. Received January 8, 2004; revision requested March 9; final revision received November 16; accepted December 10. Supported by a grant from Philips Medical Systems. Address correspondence to J.S. (e-mail: dshemesh{at}netvision.net.il).

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare the results of coronary artery calcium (CAC) measurements obtained with 55- and 165-mAs electrocardiographically gated multi–detector row computed tomography (CT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional clinical study review board approval and written informed consent were obtained. Fifty-one consecutive subjects (mean age, 59 years ± 10) were scanned consecutively by using 165 and 55 mAs. For each examination, the number of lesions, total calcium score (TCS) calculated with Agatston algorithm (130-HU threshold), and calcium mass (in milligrams) were measured. Noise was measured by averaging 1 standard deviation of the CT attenuation values in five consecutive transverse sections of the ascending aorta. Paired t test and Pearson correlation were used to compare measurements between the examinations.

RESULTS: By using 55 mAs, CAC was detected (TCS > 0) in all 33 subjects in whom CAC was initially detected with 165 mAs. The mean values of CAC measures with 165 and 55 mAs, respectively, were as follows: number of lesions, 6.2 ± 9.6 and 6.1 ± 9.4; TCS, 123 ± 223 and 126 ± 225; and calcium mass, 23.25 mg ± 43 and 24.25 mg ± 44 (P value was not significant for all parameters). Significant high correlation was found between the two methods for all measures (r > 0.90, P < .01). Similar results were obtained with analysis by coronary vessel. Image noise was 9.3 HU ± 2.1 with 165 mAs and 14.7 HU ± 3.9 with 55 mAs (P < .001), with a parallel decrease in the volume CT dose index from 12 to 4 mGy.

CONCLUSION: Radiation dose can be reduced (eg, 55 mAs) for CAC detection and measurement at multi–detector row CT and provides results comparable to those obtained with 165 mAs.

© RSNA, 2005

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