Optimization of the subtraction coronary CT angiography protocol for clinical use and the evaluation of coronary plaque

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K19801
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: Kumamoto University
• Principal Investigator: Kidoh Masafumi 熊本大学, 大学院生命科学研究部(医), 特任助教 (40744909)
• Research Collaborator: UTSUNOMIYA Daisuke 熊本大学, 生命科学研究部, 特任准教授 (30571046) ; ODA Seitaro 熊本大学, 生命科学研究部, 特任助教 (80571041) ; FUNAMA Yoshinori 熊本大学, 生命科学研究部, 教授 (30380992) ; YAMAMURO Megumi 熊本大学, 生命科学研究部, 助教 (50457587)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 冠動脈 / 虚血性心疾患 / 心臓CT / 冠動脈プラーク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Subtraction coronary CT angiography (CCTA), which enables the removal of calcium and coronary stents from CCTA images, has been clinically introduced. The long breath-holding time for two data acquisitions, which causes image misregistration and patient's discomfort, may limit the clinical availability of this subtraction technique. We performed subtraction CCTA of five patients using the test injection method and optimized the interval time between the first (pulmonary-arterial phase) and the second (coronary-arterial phase) scans to achieve robust subtraction. We compared breath-holding times between our new protocol and previous study's protocol (estimated). Mean breath-holding time in our new protocol was 18.3 ± 3.4 seconds and that in previous protocol was 29.8 ± 3.6 seconds. Misregistration artifacts were not shown in final subtraction CCTA images. Our test injection protocol can shorten the breath-holding time, which is helpful for successful subtraction CCTA imaging.

Free Research Field

放射線診断学