Correlation between aortic elasticity and coronary artery calcification evaluated by CT / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the correlation between aortic elasticity and coronary artery calcification by CT.Methods Totally 111 patients who were diagnosed of coronary artery disease underwent coronary artery CTA.The images were qualified for aortic elasticity measurement.All patients were divided into calcification negative group (n=43) and calcification positive group (n =68).The calcification positive group was further divided into light,medium,and serious groups according to their calcification scores.The ascending aortic images were reconstructed every 5 ％ R-R intervals.The cross-sectional areas and diameters of aortic in each R-R interval were measured automatically,then diameter variation rate (％ A0),aortic distensibility (A0D),aortic compliance (A0C) and aortic stiffness (A0SI) were calculated to evaluate aortic elasticity.Correlation between aortic elasticity and coronary artery calcification were analyzed.Results ％ A0,A0 D,A0C were lower and A0SI was higher in calcification positive group than those in calcification negative group (all P＜0.05).There was no significant differences in the four reference indexes of aortic elasticity among light,medium,and serious groups in calcification positive group (all P＞0.05).Correlation analysis demonstrated negative correlations between ％ A0,A0 D,A0 C and calcification scores,and a positive correlation between A0SI and calcification scores.Conclusion Aortic elasticity is correlated with coronary artery calcification,and the combination of them will be beneficial for the early diagnosis of coronary heart disease.