Korean Journal of Radiology

The Korean Society of Radiology (대한영상의학회)
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The Effects of a Vasodilator on Transluminal Attenuation Gradient at Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography

  • Moon Sung Kim (Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Dong-A University) ;
  • Eun-Ju Kang (Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Dong-A University) ;
  • Hyun Jin Kim (Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Dong-A University) ;
  • Moo Hyun Kim (Department of Cardiology, College of Medicine, Dong-A University) ;
  • Ki-Nam Lee (Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, Dong-A University)
  • Received : 2019.12.04
  • Accepted : 2020.04.22
  • Published : 2020.12.01
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Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effects of vasodilators on contrast enhancement and transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG) of coronary arteries at coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed CCTA scans of patients who underwent double-acquisition CCTA; CCTA without a vasodilator, and CCTA during a intravenous (IV) infusion of nitrate. Among them, we enrolled 19 patients who had no significant atherosclerotic lesions or coronary spasms. In the control group, 28 patients were enrolled who showed normal coronary arteries on CCTA, which was acquired by a conventional method (sublingual vasodilator). We measured the TAG and Hounsfield units for each of the three major epicardial coronary arteries (reported as 'ProxHU') and then compared the results between the nitrate administration methods (CT without vasodilator [CTpre], CT with IV vasodilator [CTiv], and CT with sublingual vasodilator [CTsub]). Results: The mean TAG showed a significant difference between the coronary arteries (right coronary artery [RCA] > left anterior descending artery [LAD] > left circumflex artery [LCX], p < 0.05), while there was no difference in ProxHU of each coronary artery in all three types of nitrate administration methods (p > 0.05). The TAG of CTpre group showed steeper slope than those of vasodilator groups (CTiv and CTsub) on LAD and LCX ([LAD: CTpre = -22.1 ± 6.66, CTiv = -16.76 ± 5.78, and CTsub = -16.47 ± 5.78, p = 0.005], [LCX: CTpre = -31.26 ± 17.43, CTiv = -23.74 ± 14.06, and CTsub = -20.94 ± 12.15, p = 0.051]), while that of RCA showed no significant differences (p = 0.600). When comparing proxHU, CTiv showed higher proxHU than that of CTpre or CTsub, especially on LCX (CTpre = 426.7 ± 68.3, CTiv = 467.9 ± 84.9, and CTsub = 404.9 ± 63.3, p = 0.013). ProxHU showed a negative correlation with TAG on all three of methods (r = -0.280, p < 0.001). Conclusion: TAG in CCTA was significantly affected by vasodilator administration. Both TAG and ProxHU of coronary arteries tend to increase with vasodilator administration on CCTA.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

I would like to offer my special thanks to the staff of Canon Medical Systems Korea for assistance with valuable comments about technology and also Vital Images Inc. for their supportive collaboration.

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