Coronary artery calcification—does it predict the CAD-RADS category?

Abstract

Purpose: Coronary calcium scores (CCSs) in cardiac-gated computed tomography (CCT) are diagnostic for coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aims to investigate if CCSs can foretell CAD-reporting and data system (CAD-RADS) without performing computed tomography angiography (CTA). Methods: Profiles of 544 patients were studied who had gone through CCT and CTA; the number of calcified regions of interest (ROIs), the Agatston, area, volume, and mass CCSs were calculated. Among the CAD-RADS categories (1 to 5), the mean values were compared for each CCS separately. A cut-offfor each CCS was declared using ROC curve analysis, more than which could predict significant CAD (CAD-RADS 3 to 5). Also, logistic regression models indicated the most probable CAD-RADS category based on the CCSs. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Among 53 male and 47 female participants with a mean (SD) age of 62.57 (0.84) years, numbers of calcified ROIs were significantly different between each pair of CAD-RADS categories. While other CCSs did not show a significant difference between CAD-RADS 1 and 2 or 2 and 3. All CCSs were significantly different between the non-significant and significant CAD groups; cut-offs for the number of calcified ROIs, the Agatston, area, volume, and mass scores were 9, 128, 44mm2, 111mm3, and 22 mg, respectively. Formulae A and B predicted the most probable CAD-RADS category (accuracy: 79) and the probability of significant/non-significant CAD (accuracy: 81), respectively. Conclusion: CCSs could predict CAD-RADS with an accuracy of 80. Further studies are needed to introduce more predictive calcium indices. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to American Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER).