Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Plaque, Coronary Stent and Coronary By-Pass Grafts with 128-Slice CT and Technical Optimization: Our Single Center Experiences

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the native coronary artery (CA), coronary atherosclerotic plaque, coronary by-pass grafts and coronary stents with 128-slice CT, comparison of findings with literature and technical optimization. In one hundred fifty patients who had undergone coronary computerized tomography angiography using 128-slice CT (CCTA), CAs were examined in terms of visibility, atherosclerotic plaque characteristics, by-pass graft and stent patency. In each case, CAs were divided into fifteen segments according to the American Heart Association (AHA) classification and then evaluated. Out of one hundred and fifty (150) cases, 2250 CA segments were examined according to AHA classification. A total of 1045 segments below 2 mm were examined for visibility. Fifty segments could not be visualized. Soft plaques were observed in 97 cases (4 cases with calcium load = 0). Atherosclerotic plaques were observed in 450 segments. By-pass grafts were observed in ten cases while 28 stents were observed in fifteen cases. In cases with by-pass graft, artifacts due to clips did not hinder the examination. In conjunction with technological advances, CAs can be non-invasively examined using new generation multi-dimensional computerized tomography. Clips artifacts in coronary stents and by-pass grafts do not hinder CA examination due to high spatial and temporal resolution of MDCT devices.