Frequency of incidental extra-cardiac findings in patients undergoing multi slice computed tomographic (msct) angiography for detection of coronary artery disease

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of incidental extra-cardiac findings on MSCTcoronary angiography. Patients undergoing MSCT angiography were included. Coronaries were interpreted with limited field of view [FOV] reconstructions. Reconstruction using larger FOV were used to examine and detect extra-cardiac incidental findings. All extra-cardiac structures were reviewed systematically. Patients were divided in two groups on basis of age, younger elderly >50 years. Out of 307 patients included in the study,87 [28%] had extra-cardiac incidental findings. Patients in the older age group i.e., more than 50 years were significantly [p = 0.004] more likely to have incidental findings. Most common finding was pericardial fat pad. Most of the findings were not of clinical significance. Only 2 pulmonary nodules were detected. Extra-cardiac findings are commonly detected on MSCT cardiac scans especially in older patients with larger FOV reconstructions. Most of the findings are of minor clinical significance, only few are important. Routine screening of cardiac scans for extra-cardiac incidental findings is not mandatory