• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.268-275
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• 2010

Coronary artery calcium scores(CACS) has been used as surrogate marker for coronary atherosclerosis. We evaluated 1042 patients who visited the Department of Health Promotion Center in Chonnam National University Hospital and had a test of the CACS from January 2006, to December 2008. This study was performed to evaluate the relation of the CACS with Cadiovascular disease(CVD) risk factors and FRS. CACS and FRS was a significant difference between the group whose calcium score was 0 and the group whose calcium scores were 1 in case of men 2.38(95% CI, 1.83-3.11), women 2.12(95% CI, 1.03-4.35). The age-and sex-adjusted odds ratios for predictor of CVD risk factors to women with age was 1.10(95% CI, 1.06-1.15), HDL-cholesterol was 2.38(95% CI, 1.04-5.44), Fasting plasma glucose was 2.89(95% CI, 1.16-7.21), to men with age was 1.11(95% CI, 1.08-1.14), LDL-cholesterol was 2.12(95% CI, 1.28-3.50), gamma-GTP was 1.73(95% CI, 1.17-2.55), Diabetes mellitus medication was 3.92(95% CI, 1.73-8.89). The CACS seems to be a siginificant factor to evaluate the CVD risk factors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.285-290
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• 2016

The purpose of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the cause of a decreased calcium score of follow-up studies on coronary artery calcium scores (CACs) computed tomography (CT). The subjects were healthy 100 people(85 males $60.6{\pm}6.9$ years, 15 females $67.2{\pm}7.3$ years). The subjects decreased CACs were divided into 4 subgroups depending on Agatston classification, minimal (1-10), mild (11-100), moderate (101-400), severe (400<). As a result of decreased CACs were scan location disagreement 51%, motion artifact 26%, equipment changes 14%, operator mistakes 5%, input miss 2%, image loss 1%, arrhythmia 1%. In the mild group, the most common decreased CACs were 49 people. In the minimal group, the most significant variation reduction has occurred to 6 people. Scan location disagreement was considered a partial volume effects due to the scan starting position. It showed less than 100 CACs a high variation (19.7%) in more than 100 CACs, a lower variation (2.2%), these could be seen that the variation range is different that can be tolerated according to the calcification score. Motion artifact factor was found in 26%, which is so closely related to the preceding tests that affect the higher heart rate like this pulmonary function test, exercise stress test.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1777-1785
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate the accuracy of the Agatston score obtained with the ultra-high-pitch (UHP) acquisition mode using tin-filter spectral shaping (Sn150 kVp) and a kVp-independent reconstruction algorithm to reduce the radiation dose. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 114 patients (mean ± standard deviation, 60.3 ± 9.8 years; 74 male) who underwent a standard 120 kVp scan and an additional UHP Sn150 kVp scan for coronary artery calcification scoring (CACS). These two datasets were reconstructed using a standard reconstruction algorithm (120 kVp + Qr36d, protocol A; Sn150 kVp + Qr36d, protocol B). In addition, the Sn150 kVp dataset was reconstructed using a kVp-independent reconstruction algorithm (Sn150 kVp + Sa36d, protocol C). The Agatston scores for protocols A and B, as well as protocols A and C, were compared. The agreement between the scores was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland-Altman plot. The radiation doses for the 120 kVp and UHP Sn150 kVp acquisition modes were also compared. Results: No significant difference was observed in the Agatston score for protocols A (median, 63.05; interquartile range [IQR], 0-232.28) and C (median, 60.25; IQR, 0-195.20) (p = 0.060). The mean difference in the Agatston score for protocols A and C was relatively small (-7.82) and with the limits of agreement from -65.20 to 49.56 (ICC = 0.997). The Agatston score for protocol B (median, 34.85; IQR, 0-120.73) was significantly underestimated compared with that for protocol A (p < 0.001). The UHP Sn150 kVp mode facilitated an effective radiation dose reduction by approximately 30% (0.58 vs. 0.82 mSv, p < 0.001) from that associated with the standard 120 kVp mode. Conclusion: The Agatston scores for CACS with the UHP Sn150 kVp mode with a kVp-independent reconstruction algorithm and the standard 120 kVp demonstrated excellent agreement with a small mean difference and narrow agreement limits. The UHP Sn150 kVp mode allowed a significant reduction in the radiation dose.