A new method for measuring coronary artery diameters with CT spatial profile curves

Shimamoto, Ryoichi; Suzuki, Jun-ichi; Yamazaki, Tadashi; Tsuji, Taeko; Ohmoto, Yuki; Morita, Toshihiro; Yamashita, Hiroshi; Honye, Junko; Nagai, Ryozo; Akahane, Masaaki; Ohtomo, Kuni

doi:10.1016/j.radi.2005.10.002

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Volume 13, Issue 1 , Pages 44-50, February 2007

A new method for measuring coronary artery diameters with CT spatial profile curves

Ryoichi Shimamoto
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
Jun-ichi Suzuki
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
- Corresponding author. Laboratory Room-213, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan. Tel.: +81 3 3815 5411x33079; fax: +81 3 3814 0021.
Tadashi Yamazaki
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
Taeko Tsuji
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
Yuki Ohmoto
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
Toshihiro Morita
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
Hiroshi Yamashita
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
Junko Honye
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
Ryozo Nagai
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
Masaaki Akahane
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan
Kuni Ohtomo
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 1138655, Japan

Received 12 July 2005; accepted 16 October 2005.

Abstract

Purpose

Coronary artery vascular edge recognition on computed tomography (CT) angiograms is influenced by window parameters. A noninvasive method for vascular edge recognition independent of window setting with use of multi-detector row CT was contrived and its feasibility and accuracy were estimated by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Methods

Multi-detector row CT was performed to obtain 29 CT spatial profile curves by setting a line cursor across short-axis coronary angiograms processed by multi-planar reconstruction. IVUS was also performed to determine the reference coronary diameter. IVUS diameter was fitted horizontally between two points on the upward and downward slopes of the profile curves and Hounsfield number was measured at the fitted level to test seven candidate indexes for definition of intravascular coronary diameter. The best index from the curves should show the best agreement with IVUS diameter.

Results

Of the seven candidates the agreement was the best (agreement: 16±11%) when the two ratios of Hounsfield number at the level of IVUS diameter over that at the peak on the profile curves were used with water and with fat as the background tissue. These edge definitions were achieved by cutting the horizontal distance by the curves at the level defined by the ratio of 0.41 for water background and 0.57 for fat background.

Conclusions

Vascular edge recognition of the coronary artery with CT spatial profile curves was feasible and the contrived method could define the coronary diameter with reasonable agreement.

Keywords: Multi-detector row CT, CT spatial profile curve, Coronary artery diameters, Intravascular ultrasound, Conventional coronary angiography, Hounsfield number

Abbreviations: MDCT, multi-detector row computed tomography, IVUS, intravascular ultrasound, Conventional CAG, conventional coronary angiography