Biblioteca Virtual en Salud

Objective To explore the image quality of coronary artery imaging with dual source computed tomography (DSCT) and analyze the coronary artery lesions. Methods Two hundred cases with clinically suspected coronary heart disease, who underwent plain and enhanced DSCT coronary artery imaging without oral Betaloc preparation were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups the senile group of 126 cases with the average age of (71.3±7.7) years old and the control group of 74 cases with the average age of (50.4±6.2) years old. The clinical characteristics, the average heart rate and breath-holding time for plain and enhanced scan, the average calcium score, the image quality evaluation and the coronary stenosis were compared between the two groups. Results Compared with the control group, the incidences of chest pain or discomfort, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and old myocardial infarction were significantly higher in the senile group. The average calcium score and the numbers of <50% and ≥50% stenosis were also significantly higher in the senile group than those in the control group (364.9±442.6)points vs. (44.8±106.9)points, 159 vs. 45 branches, 212 vs. 32 branches, respectively, all P<0.01). The average heart rate and breath-holding time of plain and enhanced scan had no significant differences compared with the control group. The proportion of the coronary segments with grade 1 ,grade 2 and grade 3 image quality also had no significant difference compared with the control group (96.5%,2.3% and 1.2% vs. 97.1%, 2.0% and 0.9%, P>0.05). Conclusions DSCT coronary artery imaging in senile patients is noninvasive, safe and simple, and excellent coronary artery image can be obtained without oral Betaloc preparation. It can be used as a routine examination in the clinical diagnosis of coronary heart disease.