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Lack of correlation between coronary artery calcium and myocardial perfusion imaging

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Journal of Nuclear Cardiology Aims and scope

Abstract

Background

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) provides evidence of coronary atherosclerosis and has significant prognostic power. Although prior studies have documented a relationship between CAC and hemodynamically significant coronary artery stenosis, the results have not been conclusive.

Methods and Results

We evaluated 126 consecutive patients who underwent electron beam computed tomography CAC scoring by use of the Agatston method and stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) within 3 months of each other. The analysis revealed no correlation between absolute CAC score and age- and gender-adjusted CAC scores with MPI. Overall, 18% of patients had abnormal MPI results irrespective of their CAC.

Conclusion

CAC scoring and stress MPI should be thus considered complementary approaches rather than exclusionary in the evaluation of the patient at risk for coronary artery disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Beth Israel Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 350 E 17th St, Baird Hall, 20th Floor, 10003, New York, NY

    Jonathan Rosman, Michael Shapiro, Anuragini Pandey, Andrew VanTosh & Steven R. Bergmann

Authors
  1. Jonathan Rosman
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  2. Michael Shapiro
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  3. Anuragini Pandey
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  4. Andrew VanTosh
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  5. Steven R. Bergmann
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Correspondence to Steven R. Bergmann.

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Rosman, J., Shapiro, M., Pandey, A. et al. Lack of correlation between coronary artery calcium and myocardial perfusion imaging. J Nucl Cardiol 13, 333–337 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nuclcard.2006.01.023

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nuclcard.2006.01.023

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