Coronary CT Angiography with Knowledge-Based Iterative Model Reconstruction for Assessing Coronary Arteries and Non-Calcified Predominant Plaques
- Author:
Tao LI
1
;
Tian TANG
;
Li YANG
;
Xinghua ZHANG
;
Xueping LI
;
Chuncai LUO
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Coronary artery disease; Atherosclerosis; Image reconstruction; Multidetector computed tomography; Computed tomography angiography
- MeSH: Adipose Tissue; Angiography; Atherosclerosis; Coronary Artery Disease; Coronary Vessels; Female; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Male; Methods; Multidetector Computed Tomography; Noise; Plaque, Atherosclerotic; Prospective Studies; Signal-To-Noise Ratio
- From:Korean Journal of Radiology 2019;20(5):729-738
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of iterative model reconstruction (IMR) on image quality for demonstrating non-calcific high-risk plaque characteristics of coronary arteries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 66 patients (53 men and 13 women; aged 39–76 years; mean age, 55 ± 13 years) having single-vessel disease with predominantly non-calcified plaques evaluated using prospective electrocardiogram-gated 256-slice CT angiography. Paired image sets were created using two types of reconstruction: hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR) and IMR. Plaque characteristics were compared using the two algorithms. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the images and the CNR between the plaque and adjacent adipose tissue were also compared between the two reformatted methods. RESULTS: Seventy-seven predominantly non-calcified plaques were detected. Forty plaques showed napkin-ring sign with the IMR reformatted method, while nineteen plaques demonstrated napkin-ring sign with HIR. There was no statistically significant difference in the presentation of positive remodeling, low attenuation plaque, and spotty calcification between the HIR and IMR reconstructed methods (all p > 0.5); however, there was a statistically significant difference in the ability to discern the napkin-ring sign between the two algorithms (χ2 = 12.12, p < 0.001). The image noise of IMR was lower than that of HIR (10 ± 2 HU versus 12 ± 2 HU; p < 0.01), and the SNR and CNR of the images and the CNR between plaques and surrounding adipose tissues on IMR were better than those on HIR (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: IMR can significantly improve image quality compared with HIR for the demonstration of coronary artery and atherosclerotic plaques using a 256-slice CT.