Does mean PCAT attenuation on coronary computed tomography angiography differ between precursors of culprit lesions in patients who develop acute coronary syndrome versus nonculprit lesions and stable coronary plaques?
PCAT attenuation on coronary computed tomography angiography is significantly increased in precursors of culprit lesions, suggesting its potential as a novel non-invasive imaging marker to identify high-risk plaques before acute coronary syndrome occurs.
BACKGROUND: Pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation has been associated with coronary inflammation and can be evaluated with coronary computed tomography angiography. The aims of this study were to compare the PCAT attenuation across precursors of culprit and nonculprit lesions of patients with acute coronary syndrome versus stable coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS: In this case-control study, patients with suspected CAD who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography were included. Patients who developed an acute coronary syndrome within 2 years after the coronary computed tomography angiography scan were identified, and patients with stable CAD (defined as any coronary plaque ≥30% luminal diameter stenosis) were 1:2 propensity score matched for age, sex, and cardiac risk factors. The mean PCAT attenuation was analyzed at lesion level and compared between precursors of culprit lesions, nonculprit lesions, and stable coronary plaques. RESULTS: =0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The mean PCAT attenuation is significantly increased across culprit lesion precursors in patients with acute coronary syndrome, compared to nonculprit lesions of these patients and to lesions of patients with stable CAD, which may suggest a higher intensity of inflammation. PCAT attenuation on coronary computed tomography angiography may be a novel marker to identify high-risk plaques.
Kuneman et al. (Wed,) studied this question.