Measurements of Coronary Artery Aneurysms Due to Kawasaki Disease by Dual-Source Computed Tomography (DSCT)

Abstract

Diameters of coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) complicating acute phase KD can strongly predict the long-term prognosis of coronary artery lesions (CAL). Recently, computed tomographic angiography (CTA) has been used to detect CAL, and the purpose of this study was to determine whether coronary artery diameters measurements by CTA using dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) can be used instead of coronary angiogram (CAG) measurements. Twenty-five patients (22 males and three females) with CAL due to KD, who had undergone both CTA and CAG within one year, were retrospectively evaluated between 2007 and 2013. A prospective electrocardiogram-triggered CTA was performed on a DSCT (SOMATOM^® Definition, Siemens Healthcare, Germany). Two pediatric cardiologists independently measured the diameters of CAAs twice in each maximum intensity projection (MIP), curved multiplaner reconstruction (MPR) and CAG. We measured 161 segments in total (segment 1–3, 5–7, 11, 13). Diagnostic accuracy was expressed as κ coefficient. A Bland–Altman analysis was also used to assess the intra-observer, inter-observer and inter-modality agreement. The diagnostic quality of CTA was excellent (κ = 0.93). Excellent inter-observer agreement for the diameters of CAAs was obtained for MIP, MPR and CAG and for the intra-observer agreement. The inter-modality agreement was also excellent in measurements of CAA (MPR–CAG: y = 0.9x + 0.40, r = 0.97, p < 0.0001 MIP–CAG: y = x + 0.1, r = 0.94, p < 0.0001). These values in normal coronary arteries were also obtained. We found a significant correlation between CTA and CAG in measuring the coronary arteries. We conclude that measuring coronary artery diameters by CTA is reliable and useful.