Coronary Artery Anomalies by Multidetector Computed Tomography

Abstract

The prevalence of coronary artery anomalies (CAAs) is reported to be 0.3% to 2% of the general population. Asymptomatic CAAs are more common and have a better prognosis. Nevertheless, some of these anomalies are linked with symptoms such as syncope, chest pain, and sudden cardiac death. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and describe the coronary congenital anomalies and their variations using coronary CT angiography. MD (320) CT angiography was used to prospectively examine 630 patients with either myocardial ischemic symptoms or suspected coronary anomalies by echocardiography or invasive coronary angiography. Contrast injection with ultra-thin cardiac scanning were then carried out. Images were analyzed with multiplanar reformations (MPR), curved multiplanar reformations (cMPR), maximum intensity projections (MIP) & volume rendering techniques (VR). Coronary artery anomalies were found in 217/630 patients (34.44% incidence), 69 (10.95%) anomalies were of vessel origin with good agreement between CTA and ICA results (K= 0.630), 140 (22.22%) were of vessel course and intrinsic vessel anomalies with moderate agreement between CTA and ICA results (K= 0.448), and 8 (1.27%) were of vessel termination with very good agreement between CTA and ICA results (K= 1.000). from this study we conclude that the prevalence of coronary anomalies is substantially higher with coronary CTA than with invasive coronary angiography and ECG gated multidetector coronary CT angiography allows accurate anatomical assessment of coronary artery anomalies.