CT scans could detect heart disease
September 28th, 2010 - 5:02 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Sept 28 (ANI): Researchers may be better able to identify people at high risk for cardiovascular disease using CT, a new study at the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands has shown.
“The results of this study show that radiologists can predict cardiovascular disease fairly well using incidental findings of calcifications of the aortic wall on CT, along with minimal patient information, such as age, gender and the reason for the CT,” said Martijn J. A. Gondrie.
Over the past 10 years CT image quality has dramatically improved, leading to many more incidental findings. Incidental findings are unexpectedly detected imaging characteristics that are unrelated to the original clinical indication for the CT.
“Incidental findings are obtained without additional radiation exposure or cost to the patient and may hold valuable clues as to the patient’s overall health and their risk for future disease,” Gondrie said.
Gondrie and colleagues developed prediction models incorporating incidental aortic findings detected on chest CT. Scores were assigned for incidental aortic abnormalities found on CT, including calcifications, plaques, elongation and other irregularities.
While each aortic abnormality was highly predictive, the prediction model incorporating the sum score for aortic calcifications was most indicative of future cardiovascular events.
“The study could potentially change the way radiologists contribute to the efficiency of daily patient care,” Gondrie concluded.
The study appears online and in the November issue of Radiology. (ANI)
- Patients with severe H1N1 at higher risk of life threatening complication - Oct 15, 2009
- New device uses submarine technology to detect stroke quickly - Mar 30, 2011
- Tool for predicting local recurrence in lung cancer patients identified - Dec 07, 2010
- Link between erectile dysfunction and heart disease - Jun 02, 2010
- Brain scans may help early detection of Alzheimer's - Apr 12, 2011
- Increased use of Computer-aided detection in mammography - Oct 02, 2010
- Frequent CT scanning for testicular cancer linked to secondary cancers - Mar 31, 2011
- Smoking may increase risk for lung disease - Mar 10, 2011
- Safer CT scanning for kids developed - Apr 05, 2011
- Fat around heart promotes cardiac disease - Aug 16, 2011
- CT scans cause one third more radiation than needed: Study - Apr 08, 2010
- New test detects kidney disorder early - Aug 06, 2011
- Low levels of anti-aging hormone may be an indicator of kidney disease - Feb 19, 2011
- CT scans more effective than X-rays when detecting abnormalities in H1N1 patients - Oct 22, 2009
- ECG can also predict heart attacks - Apr 11, 2012
Tags: abnormality, calcifications, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular events, chest ct, clinical indication, ct image, ct scans, elongation, heart disease, high risk, image quality, incidental findings, irregularities, martijn, patient information, prediction model, prediction models, radiation exposure, university medical center