Non-invasive assessment of coronary calcification

Authors: Vliegenthart, Rozemarijn¹; Oei, Hok-Hay²; Hofman, Albert²; Oudkerk, Matthijs²; Witteman, Jackqueline²

Source: European Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 19, Number 12, December 2004 , pp. 1063-1072(10)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

Electron-beam tomography (EBT) and multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) enable the noninvasive assessment of coronary calcification. The amount of coronary calcification, as detected by EBT, has a close relation with the amount of coronary atherosclerosis, which is the substrate for the occurrence of myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. Calcification of the coronary arteries can be seen as a cumulative measure of life-time exposure to cardiovascular risk factors. Several studies have shown that the amount of coronary calcification is associated with the risk of coronary heart disease. Therefore, coronary calcification is a promising method for non-invasive detection of asymptomatic subjects at high risk of developing coronary heart disease. Whether measurement of coronary calcification also increases the predictive power of coronary events based on cardiovascular risk factors is topic of current research.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis; Epidemiology; Imaging; Myocardial infarction; Population

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10654-004-6527-2

Affiliations: 1: Department of Radiology, 011011011011011011011011University Hospital Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 0110110110110110110110110119700 RB, 011011011011011011011011011Groningen, 011011011011011011011011011The Netherlands, Email: r.vliegenthart@rad.azg.nl 2: Department of Radiology, 011011011011011011011011University Hospital Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 0110110110110110110110110119700 RB, 011011011011011011011011011Groningen, 011011011011011011011011011The Netherlands,

Publication date: 2004-12-01