Relationship of CT attenuation of pericoronary adipose tissue and plaque type / 中国介入影像与治疗学

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore the relationship of CT attenuation of pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) and the underlying plaque types. Methods: Totally 101 patients with coronary heart disease were enrolled. A total of 196 coronary artery plaques were detected, including 55 non-calcified plaques (group A), 70 mixed plaques (group B) and 71 calcified plaques (group C). The anatomical characteristic indices of plaques and the surrounding PCAT CT attenuation were measured and compared among 3 groups. The impact factors of PCAT attenuation and the correlation with the high-attenuation percentage in plaques were analyzed. Results: Significant differences of the maximum plaque cross-sectional area, plaque volume, reconstruction index, degree of lesion stenosis, percentage of high-attenuation percentage in plaques and average CT value of plaques were found among 3 groups (all P<0.05). In group A, B and C, the high-attenuation percentage in plaques, the average CT values of plaques and PCAT gradually increased in turn, and differences between every 2 groups were all statistically significant (all P<0.05). CT value of PCAT was positively correlated with the high-attenuation percentage in plaques (r=0.677, P<0.05). The high-attenuation percentage in plaques was an independent factor affecting the increase of CT value of PCAT (OR=1.041, P<0.001). Conclusion: With the increase of the percentage of high-attenuation percentage in coronary artery plaques, the progression of coronary atherosclerosis, cellular components and interstitial fibrosis and other tissue remodeling occur around the lesion in PCAT, presenting as gradually increasing CT values on CT images.