Double-helical CT as a new tool for tracking of allograft atherosclerosis in heart transplant recipients.

Abstract

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES:

Tracking the progression of allograft atherosclerosis in heart transplant recipients is currently accomplished using invasive techniques. If its monitoring feasibility is demonstrated, spiral CT could be a non-invasive alternative for this objective.

METHODS:

Twenty-four consecutive heart transplant patients (21 men, 3 women, mean age 55 +/- 11 years) were scanned using double-helical CT. The first scan was performed 1.9 +/- 1.3 years after transplantation. After 2 years of follow-up, 4 patients died and the remaining 20 underwent a second scan. All scans were performed according to a previously reported double-helical CT protocol.

RESULTS:

The incidence of coronary calcification at the first scan was 4.2% (1/24); it increased to 40% (8/20) at the second scan (P < 0.001). Spiral CT identified new but very mild calcific deposits in seven patients with a mean total calcium score of 6.7 +/- 4.0.

CONCLUSIONS:

Double-helical CT is a viable tool to diagnose and track newly developed allograft atherosclerosis.

• Authors: J Shemesh, A Tenenbaum, C I Stroh, S Apter, Y Har-Zahav, E Z Fisman, Y Itzchak, M Motro
• Journal: Investigative radiology (Invest Radiol) Vol. 34 Issue 7 Pg. 485-8 (Jul 1999) ISSN: 0020-9996 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10399639 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Coronary Angiography
• Coronary Artery Disease (complications, diagnostic imaging)
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Graft Occlusion, Vascular (diagnostic imaging, etiology)
• Heart Transplantation
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Reproducibility of Results
• Tissue Donors
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Transplantation, Homologous