MORPHOLOGIC CHARACTERIZATION OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE OF CORONARY ARTERIES DISEASES BY MULTIDETECTOR COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (MDCT)

A multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) image is being considered as a possible alternative to current imaging methods for evaluating vessel anatomy and morphology of atherosclerotic plaques in a variety of arterial beds. It is possible to evaluate the entire arterial vasculature using MDCT. Furthermore, MDCT is capable of visualizing the vessel wall and of quantifying calcified and noncalcified plaques. In total, 72 patients (56.9% male and 43.1% female) with consecutive ages ranging from 46 to 80 years old were scanned using TOSHIBA medical system (Aquilion) 64 Slice MDCT, and images were acquired in the axial plane. In the radiology department of the Royal Care International Hospital (RCIH), Khartoum, Sudan, images were acquired for post-processing multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and three-dimensional reconstruction using special software (Vetrea). The research was conducted between March 2014 and May 2016. Post-processing multiplane reconstruction (MPR) was performed on CT images acquired in the axial plane. An analysis of 72 CT cross-sections revealed 19.4% calcified plaque in the right coronary artery, 16.7% calcified plaque in the left anterior descending artery, and 13.9% calcified plaque in the left circumflex artery. The findings of the present study suggest that 64-slice MDCT can be used to characterize different types of coronary plaque. A 64-slice MDCT study can reliably differentiate calcified from noncalcified atherosclerotic plaque components.Copyright (c) 2013 -All Rights Reserved -Pharmacophore