Image quality of coronary 320-MDCT in patients with atrial fibrillation: initial experience
Abstract
Noninvasive coronary angiography has generally been contraindicated in patients with atrial fibrillation because of the difficulty in synchronizing an irregular heartbeat with table gantry movement. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the quality of 320-MDCT images obtained in patients with atrial fibrillation and in a control group of patients in sinus rhythm. Two reviewers were blinded to the patient groups and evaluated images of 15 coronary artery segments for each patient using 320-MDCT. The images were printed on glossy paper and scored subjectively as 1 or 2, meaning of diagnostic quality, or 3, meaning poor quality. No statistical difference between the groups was noted in patient age: The mean age of the patients with atrial fibrillation was 67 years (age range, 52-82 years) and that of the patients in sinus rhythm was 59 years (36-86 years) (p = 0.3). Scores of 1 and 2 (diagnostic quality) were assigned to 100% in sinus rhythm and 96% in atrial fibrillation (p < 0.05). Scores of 3 were seen only in the atrial fibrillation group (7/175, 4%). Segment 15, the distal circumflex artery, was the segment that was most frequently assigned a score of 3 (2/7, 28.6%). A discrepancy in the two reviewers' score...Continue Reading
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