• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.48 no.12
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• pp.1120-1130
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• 2018

Background and Objectives: Feasibility of coronary angiography (CAG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) via left snuffbox approach is still concerned. We aimed to investigate efficacy and safety of the left snuffbox approach for CAG and PCI. Methods: Left snuffbox approach was tried in 150 patients who planned to perform CAG or PCI for suspected myocardial ischemia between 1 November 2017 and 31 March 2018. Results: Success rate of radial artery (RA) cannulation via snuffbox approach was 88.0% (n=132). Among 132 individuals, 58 (43.9%) acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients were included. The diameter of snuffbox RA was significantly smaller than conventional RA (2.57 mm vs. 2.72 mm, p<0.001) from quantitative computed angiography of 101 patients. However, CAG via snuffbox approach by 6 French sheath was successfully performed in all 132 patients. In addition, there was significant correlation between the snuffbox and conventional RA diameter (r=0.856, p<0.001). In 42 PCI cases, including 25 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the success rate of PCI via snuffbox approach was 97.6% (n=41). Intravascular imaging-guided PCI was performed in 8 (19.5%) patients and multi-vessel PCI in 4 (9.8%) cases. Regarding vascular complication, forearm swelling with bruising, not requiring surgery or transfusion, occurred in 2 (4.9%) PCI cases. Conclusions: Left snuffbox approach is suitable for CAG and PCI compared with the conventional radial approach.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.284-293
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• 2023

Objective: To validate a simplified ordinal scoring method, referred to as modified length-based grading, for assessing coronary artery calcium (CAC) severity on non-electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated chest computed tomography (CT). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study enrolled 120 patients (mean age ± standard deviation [SD], 63.1 ± 14.5 years; male, 64) who underwent both non-ECG-gated chest CT and ECG-gated cardiac CT between January 2011 and December 2021. Six radiologists independently assessed CAC severity on chest CT using two scoring methods (visual assessment and modified length-based grading) and categorized the results as none, mild, moderate, or severe. The CAC category on cardiac CT assessed using the Agatston score was used as the reference standard. Agreement among the six observers for CAC category classification was assessed using Fleiss kappa statistics. Agreement between CAC categories on chest CT obtained using either method and the Agatston score categories on cardiac CT was assessed using Cohen's kappa. The time taken to evaluate CAC grading was compared between the observers and two grading methods. Results: For differentiation of the four CAC categories, interobserver agreement was moderate for visual assessment (Fleiss kappa, 0.553 [95% confidence interval {CI}: 0.496-0.610]) and good for modified length-based grading (Fleiss kappa, 0.695 [95% CI: 0.636-0.754]). The modified length-based grading demonstrated better agreement with the reference standard categorization with cardiac CT than visual assessment (Cohen's kappa, 0.565 [95% CI: 0.511-0.619 for visual assessment vs. 0.695 [95% CI: 0.638-0.752] for modified length-based grading). The overall time for evaluating CAC grading was slightly shorter in visual assessment (mean ± SD, 41.8 ± 38.9 s) than in modified length-based grading (43.5 ± 33.2 s) (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The modified length-based grading worked well for evaluating CAC on non-ECG-gated chest CT with better interobserver agreement and agreement with cardiac CT than visual assessment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.54-69
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• 2022

Early detection of potential asymptomatic coronary artery disease is very important, as patients with sudden cardiac death often do not show symptoms such as chest pain or motor dyspnea. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) has long been unjustified as a screening tool for asymptomatic patients because of the risks posed by radiation exposure. However, there are still various opinions regarding the usefulness of CCTA for screening for coronary artery disease (CAD) in asymptomatic healthy individuals or patients. This review investigated the usefulness of coronary artery calcium score and CCTA as screening tests for CAD in asymptomatic healthy individuals or patients through various literature reviews. With the development of CT technology, recent studies have been conducted in asymptomatic CAD patients with a reduced radiation dose of less than 1 mSv. A total of 2.6% of asymptomatic subjects on CCTA found significant CAD over 70%, and it was concluded that screening CCTA for CAD showed prognostic power in predicting the future occurrence of CAD in asymptomatic people. However, after the completion of the current NIH SCOT-HEART 2 study, it may be possible to determine whether CCTA is appropriate as a screening tool for CAD in asymptomatic healthy individuals.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2017

Swirl flow is often found in proximal coronary arteries, because the aortic valves can induce swirl flows in the coronary artery due to vortex formation. In addition, the curvature and tortuosity of arterial configurations can also produce swirl flows. The present study was performed to investigate fractional flow reserve alterations in a post-stenotic distal part due to the presence of pre-stenotic swirl flow by computational fluid dynamics analysis for virtual stenotic models by quantifying fractional flow reserve(FFR). Simplified stenotic coronary models were divided into those with and without pre-stenotic swirl flow. Various degrees of virtual stenosis were grouped into three grades: mild, moderate, and severe, with degree of stenosis of 0 ~ 40%, 50 ~ 60%, and 70 ~ 90%, respectively. In this study, three-dimensional computational hemodynamic simulations were performed under hyperemic conditions in virtual stenotic coronary models by coupling with a zero-dimensional lumped parameter model. The results showed that the influence of pre-stenotic swirl inflow is dominant on FFR alteration in mild stenosis, whereas stenosis is dominant on FFR alteration in moderate/severe stenosis. The decrease in FFR caused by swirl flow is more significant in mild stenosis than moderate/severe stenosis. Biomechanical modeling is useful for clinicians to provide insight for medical intervention strategies. This hemodynamic-based parameter study could play a critical role in the development of a non-invasive imaging-based strategy-support system for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in cases of mild/moderate stenosis.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 1993

To evaluate the usefulness and differences in diagnosing coronary artery disease (CAD) between men and women of intravenous dipyridamole $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI myocardial SPECT, we obtained $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI myocardial SPECT and compared with the findings of coronary angiographies. Ninety eight male and 37 female patients who underwent dipyridamole $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI myocardial imaging within one month of cardiac catheterization were studied. Scans were considered abnormal if perfusion defect was detected and the defect size was more than 12% for left anterior descending artery (LAD) and circumflex (LCX) and 8% for right coronary artery (RCA) territories. Lesions${\geqq}$50% luminal diameter narrowing were considered significant CAD. Overall sensitivity for detection of CAD was 94.3% in men and 96.4% in women; specificity was 70% in men and 52.6% in women (P=not significant, ns). Vessel-matched sensitivity was 75.3% in men and 72.7% in women (P=ns): specificity was 84.6% in men and 67.9% in women (P < 0.025). For individual coronary artery, the sensitivity in men and women was 87.7%, 81.8% for LAD; 78%, 83.3% for RCA and 52.2%, 46.7% for LCX (P=ns): the specificity was 80%, 40% for LAD (P<0.01), 82.5%, 68.4% for RCA, 88.9%, 86.4% for LCX (P=ns). The hemodynamic parameter after intravenous dipyridamole in men and women were significantly changed; the heart rate was increased and systolic, diastolic blood pressure was decreased. Adverse effects were reported in 58.8% of men and 72.7% in women (P=ns). The incidence of chest pain and headache were higher in women. There was no significant difference in the incidences of nausea, abdominal pain, dizziness, facial flushing, dyspnea. In conclusion, dipyridamole $^{99m}Tc$-MIBI myocardial SPECT is a safe, noninvasive test for evaluation of CAD. There was no gender difference to detect CAD, but more false-positive rate in women especially in the territory of LAD.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.101-107
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• 1999

We evaluated the results of sequential SPECT dual-isotope imaging with Tl-201 and Tc-99m MIBI in 24 patients. all of whom also had coronary angiography within the past one month. Coronary angiography showed that 12 patients had no CAD, 4 patients had one-vessel CAD, 7 patients had two-vessel CAD and 1 patient had three-vessel CAD. Serial studies of resting Tl-201 and dipyridamole stress Tc-99m MIBI were completed within 2 hours. When more than 50% of coronary artery narrowing was considered significant, the overall sensitivity and specificity of CAD detection were 91.7%. The sensitivity of CAD detection in patients with one-vessel and multi-vessel diseases was 75% and 100%. respectively. Therefore, sequential dual-isotope SPECT demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for CAD detection. In conclusion, sequential dual-isotope imaging is feasible and can be completed in a short time and may therefore enhance laboratory throughput and patient convenience.

• Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.26-38
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: Dobutamine and adenosine stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is relatively contraindicated in patients with moderate to severe aortic valve stenosis (AS). We aimed to determine the safety of dobutamine and adenosine stress CMR in patients with moderate to severe AS. METHODS: In this retrospective study patients with AS who underwent either dobutamine or adenosine stress CMR for exclusion of obstructive coronary artery disease were enrolled. We recorded clinical data, CMR and echocardiography findings, and complications as well as minor symptoms. Patients with AS were compared to matched individuals without AS. RESULTS: A total of 187 patients with AS were identified and compared to age-, gender- and body mass index-matched 187 patients without AS. No severe complications were reported in the study nor the control group. The reported frequency of non-severe complications and minor symptoms were similar between the study and the control groups. Nineteen patients with AS experienced non-severe complications or minor symptoms during dobutamine stress CMR compared to eighteen patients without AS (p = 0.855). One patient with AS and two patients without AS undergoing adenosine stress CMR experienced minor symptoms (p = 0.562). Four examinations were aborted because of chest pain, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and third-degree atrioventricular block. Inducible ischaemia, prior coronary artery bypass grafting, prior stroke and age were associated with a higher incidence of complications and minor symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate to severe AS was not associated with complications during CMR stress test. The incidence of non-severe complications and minor symptoms was greater with dobutamine.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2007

The obstacles for cardiac imaging are motion artifacts due to cardiac motion, respiration, and blood flow, and low signal due to small tissue volume of heart. To overcome these obstacles, fast imaging technique with ECG gating is utilized. Cardiac exam using MRI comprises of morphology, ventricular function, myocardial perfusion, metabolism, and coronary artery morphology. During cardiac morphology evaluation, double and triple inversion recovery techniques are used to depict myocardial fluidity and soft tissue structure such as fat tissue, respectively. By checking the first-pass enhancement of myocardium using contrast-enhanced fast gradient echo technique, myocardial blood flow can be evaluated. In addition, delayed imaging in 10 - 15 minutes can inform myocardial destruction such as chronic myocardial infarction. Ventricular function including regional and global wall motion can be checked by fast gradient echo cine imaging in quantitative way. MRI is acknowledged to be practical for integrated cardiac evaluation technique except coronary angiography. Especially delay imaging is the greatest merit of MRI in myocardial viability evaluation.

• 대한핵의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1995.05a
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• pp.196-196
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• 1995

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1081-1092
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• 2023

Objective: To investigate the incidence of microvascular myocardial ischemia in diabetic patients without obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) and its relationship with angina. Materials and Methods: Diabetic patients and an intermediate-to-high pretest probability of CAD were prospectively enrolled. Non-diabetic patients but with an intermediate-to-high pretest probability of CAD were retrospectively included as controls. The patients underwent dynamic computed tomography-myocardial perfusion imaging (CT-MPI) and coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) to quantify coronary stenosis, myocardial blood flow (MBF), and extracellular volume (ECV). The proportion of patients with microvascular myocardial ischemia, defined as any myocardial segment with a mean MBF ≤ of 100 mL/min/100 mL, in patients without obstructive CAD (Coronary Artery Disease-Reporting and Data System [CAD-RADS] grade 0-2 on CCTA) was determined. Various quantitative parameters of the patients with and without diabetes without obstructive CAD were compared. Multivariable analysis was used to determine the association between microvascular myocardial ischemia and angina symptoms in diabetic patients without obstructive CAD. Results: One hundred and fifty-two diabetic patients (mean age: 59.7 ± 10.7; 77 males) and 266 non-diabetic patients (62.0 ± 12.3; 167 males) were enrolled; CCTA revealed 113 and 155 patients without obstructive CAD, respectively. For patients without obstructive CAD, the mean global MBF was significantly lower for those with diabetes than for those without (152.8 mL/min/100 mL vs. 170.4 mL/min/100 mL, P < 0.001). The mean ECV was significantly higher for diabetic patients (27.2% vs. 25.8%, P = 0.009). Among the patients without obstructive CAD, the incidence of microvascular myocardial ischemia (36.3% [41/113] vs. 10.3% [16/155], P < 0.001) and interstitial fibrosis (69.9% [79/113] vs. 33.3% [8/24], P = 0.001) were significantly higher in diabetic patients than in the controls. The presence of microvascular myocardial ischemia was independently associated with angina symptoms (adjusted odds ratio = 3.439, P = 0.037) in diabetic patients but without obstructive CAD. Conclusion: Dynamic CT-MPI + CCTA revealed a high incidence of microvascular myocardial ischemia in diabetic patients without obstructive CAD. Microvascular myocardial ischemia is strongly associated with angina.