Non-invasive CT scan can detect dangerous coronary plaque
May 30, 2008 | Source: KurzweilAI
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center researchers have found that a non-invasive form of CT scan can detect noncalcified plaque build-up on arteries.
Their method was as effective as (invasive) catheter coronary angiography in identifying patients at risk for heart disease.
It used 64 separate multidetector computed tomography angiography (MDCTA) scans to find voxels (3D volumes) in which the density (opacity to X-rays) was likely to be plaque. The detailed measurements–nearly 2,300 in total–provided doctors with a detailed picture of the coronary arteries and surrounding areas.
Exercise stress testing and coronary angiography, the standard methods for diagnosing atherosclerosis and heart attack risk, both work by visualizing the lumen, the channel through which blood flows. However, because the lumen also increases in size as plaque progresses, coronary artery disease may go undetected.
