Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2022 Jun 25. Epub 2022 Jun 25.

Departments of Medicine (Division of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine), Imaging, and Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Blvd, Suite Metro 203, Los Angeles, CA, 90048, USA.

Purpose: We sought to evaluate inter-scan and inter-reader agreement of coronary calcium (CAC) scores obtained from dedicated, ECG-gated CAC scans (standard CAC scan) and ultra-low-dose, ungated computed tomography attenuation correction (CTAC) scans obtained routinely during cardiac PET/CT imaging.

Methods: From 2928 consecutive patients who underwent same-day Rb cardiac PET/CT and gated CAC scan in the same hybrid PET/CT scanning session, we have randomly selected 200 cases with no history of revascularization. Standard CAC scans and ungated CTAC scans were scored by two readers using quantitative clinical software. Read More

ERJ Open Res 2022 Apr 20;8(2). Epub 2022 Jun 20.

Graduate Program in Pathology, Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to analyse and quantify the prevalence of six comorbidities from lung cancer screening (LCS) on computed tomography (CT) scans of patients from developing countries.

Methods: For this retrospective study, low-dose CT scans (n=775) were examined from patients who underwent LCS in a tertiary hospital between 2016 and 2020. An age- and sex-matched control group was obtained for comparison (n=370). Read More

J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr 2022 May 31. Epub 2022 May 31.

Department of Medicine, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Torrance CA, USA.

Background: We examined age differences in whole-heart volumes of non-calcified and calcified atherosclerosis by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) of patients with future ACS.

Methods: A total of 234 patients with core-lab adjudicated ACS after baseline CCTA were enrolled. Atherosclerotic plaque was quantified and characterized from the main epicardial vessels and side branches on a 0. Read More

Clin Imaging 2022 Jun 9;89:49-54. Epub 2022 Jun 9.

Department of Cardiology, Gebze Fatih State Hospital, Heart Center, Kocaeli, Turkey.

Background: The potential effects of cardiovascular comorbidities on the clinical outcomes in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remain unclear. Identification of the coronary and non-coronary cardiovascular findings may help to stratify the patients' prognosis. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of the coronary and the non-coronary cardiovascular findings in SARS-CoV-2 patients. Read More

Surg Today 2022 Jun 13. Epub 2022 Jun 13.

Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center, 2-1001-1 Kubaru, Ōmura, Nagasaki, 856-8562, Japan.

Purpose: We investigated the preoperative assessment of coronary artery calcification using computed tomography for appropriate intraoperative management to reduce the risk of perioperative cardiac complications during pulmonary resection.

Methods: Patients (n = 665) who underwent anatomical lung resection were examined. The extent of preoperative asymptomatic coronary artery stenosis or cardiac complications in patients with coronary artery calcification was assessed. Read More

Diabetes Obes Metab 2022 Jun 13. Epub 2022 Jun 13.

Center for Cohort Studies, Total Healthcare Center, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Aim: To investigate the associations between prediabetes defined by different diagnostic criteria and coronary artery calcification (CAC) and its progression over time.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study included 146 436 Korean adults without diabetes who underwent CAC estimation computed tomography (CT) during health examinations from 2011 to 2019. We used multinomial logistic regression models. Read More

Cardiol Res Pract 2022 31;2022:5108389. Epub 2022 May 31.

Second Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Invasive Cardiology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.

Background: Atherosclerosis is a systemic arterial disease with heterogeneous involvement in all vascular beds; however, studies examining the relationship between coronary and radial artery calcification are lacking. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the two sites and the prognostic value of radial artery calcification (RC) for coronary artery disease.

Methods: This is a single-center, retrospective cross-sectional study based on Doppler ultrasound of radial artery (RUS) and coronary artery angiography (CAG). Read More

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging 2022 Jun 16;15(6):1046-1058. Epub 2022 Feb 16.

Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark.

Background: The influence of extensive coronary calcifications on the diagnostic and prognostic value of coronary computed tomography angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR) has been scantily investigated.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic and short-term role of FFR in chest pain patients with Agatston score (AS) >399.

Methods: This was a prospective multicenter study of 260 stable patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) and AS >399. Read More

Front Cardiovasc Med 2022 23;9:871450. Epub 2022 May 23.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Heart Vascular Stroke Institute, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.

Objectives: While coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) enables the evaluation of anatomic and hemodynamic plaque characteristics of coronary artery disease (CAD), the clinical roles of these characteristics are not clear. We sought to evaluate the prognostic implications of CCTA-derived anatomic and hemodynamic plaque characteristics in the prediction of subsequent coronary events.

Methods: The study cohort consisted of 158 patients who underwent CCTA with suspected CAD within 6-36 months before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (MI) or unstable angina and age-/sex-matched 62 patients without PCI as the control group. Read More

Proc SPIE Int Soc Opt Eng 2022 Feb-Mar;12031. Epub 2022 Apr 4.

Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA, 55905.

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is an important indicator of coronary disease. Accurate volume quantification of coronary calcification, especially calcifications smaller than a few mm, using computed tomography (CT) is challenging due to calcium blooming, which is a consequence of limited spatial resolution. In this study, coronary specimens were scanned on a clinical photon-counting detector (PCD) CT scanner and the estimated coronary calcification volume were compared with a conventional energy-integrating detector (EID) CT. Read More

BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2022 Jun 3;22(1):249. Epub 2022 Jun 3.

Adult Cardiology Department, Prince Sultan Cardiac Centre, Riyadh, 12233, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Blood lipids are strong risk factors for the progression of atherosclerotic plaques. However, data on gender-specific associations are limited.

Objectives: To examine gender-specific associations of coronary plaque with blood lipids among a large sample of Saudi patients without CAD. Read More

Egypt Heart J 2022 May 21;74(1):43. Epub 2022 May 21.

Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan.

Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography examinations are increasingly becoming established as a minimally invasive method for diagnosing coronary diseases. However, although various imaging and processing methods have been developed, coronary artery calcification remains a major limitation in the evaluation of the vascular lumen. Subtraction coronary computed tomography angiography (Sub-CCTA) is a method known to be able to reduce the influence of coronary artery calcification and is therefore feasible for improving the diagnosis of significant stenosis in patients with severe calcification. Read More

J Thorac Imaging 2022 May 3. Epub 2022 May 3.

Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu.

Purpose: This study sought to determine whether machine learning (ML) can be used to better identify the risk factors and establish the prediction models for the prevalence and severity of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in nondialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and compare the performance of distinctive ML models with conventional logistic regression (LR) model.

Materials And Methods: In all, 3701 Chinese nondialysis CKD patients undergoing noncontrast cardiac computed tomography (CT) scanning were enrolled from November 2013 to December 2017. CAC score derived from the cardiac CT was calculated with the calcium scoring software and was used to assess and stratify the prevalence and severity of CAC. Read More

Cardiorenal Med 2022 May 12. Epub 2022 May 12.

Introduction: Hypothyroidism is highly prevalent in end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients, and emerging data show that lower circulating thyroid hormone levels lead to downregulation of vascular calcification inhibitors and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in this population. To date, no studies have examined the association of serum thyrotropin (TSH), the most sensitive and specific single biochemical metric of thyroid function, with CAC risk in hemodialysis patients.

Methods: In secondary analyses of patients from the Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidative Nutrition in Hypoalbuminemic Dialysis Patients (AIONID) trial, we examined serum TSH levels and CAC risk assessed by cardiac CT scans collected within a 90-day period. Read More

Radiol Technol 2022 May-Jun;93(5):454-461

Nicholas T Funderburg, PhD, is associate professor.

Purpose: To improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk prediction by combining screening techniques and to determine whether the combination of sonographic aortic calcification quantification, measurement of aortic intimal thickness, and monocyte laboratory values provides improved diagnostic detection compared with computed tomography (CT) calcium scoring.

Methods: A pre-experimental design was used to collect imaging, demographic, and biometric data. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 11 volunteers aged 40 to 60 years, including 6 men and 5 women. Read More

Clin Chim Acta 2022 Jun 2;531:325-330. Epub 2022 May 2.

Clinical Laboratory, Guang' anmen Hospital, China academy of Chinese medical sciences, China. Electronic address:

Background: Vitamin K is involved in the formation of coronary artery calcification which is an independent predictor of coronary heart disease. This study aims to explore the association between coronary artery calcification score and serum concentrations of vitamin K1, menaquinone-4 (MK-4) and menaquinone-7 (MK-7) in middle-aged and elderly Chinese population.

Methods: A total of 116 patients who underwent CT coronary angiography were consecutively enrolled. Read More

Front Neurol 2022 13;13:740656. Epub 2022 Apr 13.

Department of Neurology, Yancheng Third People's Hospital, Yancheng, China.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between prognosis and intracranial carotid artery calcification (ICAC) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) who receive intravenous thrombolysis (IVT).

Methods: A total of 156 AIS patients who received IVT from March 2019 to March 2020 were enrolled. The modified Woodcock visual score was used to evaluate ICAC in nonenhanced head CT scans. Read More

Ann Thorac Surg 2022 Apr 28. Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Department of Cardiology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. Electronic address:

Background: The coronary artery calcification score (CACS), a strong predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality, can be assessed by nongated chest computed tomography (CT). The study aimed to determine whether CACS based on nongated CT is predictive of perioperative cardiovascular events during intermediate-risk lung cancer surgery.

Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study, we used nongated CT images to evaluate CACS in 4491 patients with lung cancer who underwent intermediate-risk surgeries. Read More

Front Cardiovasc Med 2022 6;9:849223. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yongin, South Korea.

Coronary artery calcium (CAC), which can be measured in various types of computed tomography (CT) examinations, is a hallmark of coronary artery atherosclerosis. However, despite the clinical value of CAC scores in predicting cardiovascular events, routine measurement of CAC scores is limited due to high cost, radiation exposure, and lack of widespread availability. It would be of great clinical significance if CAC could be predicted by electrocardiograms (ECGs), which are cost-effective and routinely performed during various medical checkups. Read More

Curr Atheroscler Rep 2022 06 19;24(6):443-456. Epub 2022 Apr 19.

Cardio-Oncology & Preventive Cardiology Programs, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer are the first and second most common causes of death within the USA. It is well established that a diagnosis of cancer increases risk and predisposes the patient to CVD, and vice versa. Despite these associations, cancer is not yet incorporated into current CVD risk calculators, necessitating additional CV risk markers for improved stratification in this at-risk population. Read More

Eur J Intern Med 2022 Jun 8;100:102-109. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) assessed by coronary computed tomography (CT) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been investigated in several studies, but with conflicting results. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was synthesize the evidence on this topic.

Methods: The relevant literature was identified and evaluated from inception until January 2021 in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane library. Read More

Rheumatology (Oxford) 2022 Apr 8. Epub 2022 Apr 8.

Paediatric Allergy Immunology Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Paediatrics Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical education and Research, Chandigarh, India -160012.

Objective: Precise evaluation of coronary artery abnormalities (CAAs) in Kawasaki disease (KD) is essential. The aim of this study is to determine role of CT coronary angiography (CTCA) for detection of CAAs in distal segments of coronary arteries in patients with KD.

Methods: CTCA findings of KD patients with distal coronary artery involvement were compared with those on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) during the period 2013-2021. Read More

Front Cardiovasc Med 2022 21;9:828751. Epub 2022 Mar 21.

Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Purpose: Subtraction coronary CT angiography (CCTA) may reduce blooming and beam-hardening artifacts. This study aimed to assess its value in improving the diagnostic accuracy of readers with different experience levels.

Method: We prospectively enrolled patients with target segment who underwent CCTA and invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Read More

Acta Cardiol 2022 Apr 6:1-10. Epub 2022 Apr 6.

Department of Radiology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing, China.

All the previous subtraction coronary CT angiography (CCTA) had strict heart rate (HR) inclusion criteria. In this study, a new subtraction method was applied to patients with various HR. The post-contrast scan time was respectively 3. Read More

Tanaffos 2021 Mar;20(3):232-239

Department of Public Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic factors in hospitalized COVID-19 pneumonia patients according to the baseline clinical, laboratory, and imaging manifestations.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study on the SARS-CoV-2 laboratory-confirmed cases, clinical and laboratory data were collected from 156 hospitalized patients during August to October, 2020. Baseline chest CT was assessed, and the CT severity score was then calculated. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 04 4;12(1):5608. Epub 2022 Apr 4.

Department of Respiratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 54 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.

In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, airway disease, and extrapulmonary comorbidities may cause various symptoms and impair physical activity. To investigate the relative associations of pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations with physical activity in symptomatic patients, this study enrolled 193 patients with COPD who underwent chest inspiratory/expiratory CT and completed COPD assessment test (CAT) and the Life-Space Assessment (LSA) questionnaires to evaluate symptom and physical activity. In symptomatic patients (CAT ≥ 10, n = 100), emphysema on inspiratory CT and air-trapping on expiratory CT were more severe and height-adjusted cross-sectional areas of pectoralis muscles (PM index) and adjacent subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT index) on inspiratory CT were smaller in those with impaired physical activity (LSA < 60) than those without. Read More

Acta Radiol 2022 Apr 4:2841851221090890. Epub 2022 Apr 4.

Department of Diagnostic Imaging, 26744Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel, affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Background: An association between diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and a history of coronary artery disease (CAD) was previously reported.

Purpose: To investigate the association between DISH and CAD as assessed using the coronary artery calcification score (CACS) and the CAD-Reporting and Data System (CAD-RADS) score in patients with symptomatic chest pain.

Material And Methods: Consecutive cardiac CT scans performed before and after IV contrast administration were evaluated for CACS (Agatston method), CAD-RADS, and the presence of DISH. Read More

Cardiovasc Revasc Med 2022 Feb 28. Epub 2022 Feb 28.

Section of Interventional Cardiology, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA. Electronic address:

Background/purpose: Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in the presence of metallic permanent stents may be challenging. We explored the feasibility of performing CABG in 1-year Magmaris resorbable scaffold implants in healthy Yucatan pigs.

Methods/materials: One animal received Magmaris 3. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 03 28;12(1):5282. Epub 2022 Mar 28.

Serviço de Ressonância Magnética e Tomografia Cardiovascular, Instituto do Coração (InCor), Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Sao Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Epidemiological studies reveal a link between osteoporosis and the risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease. We illustrate an association between coronary calcification and bone microarchitecture in older adults based on the SPAH study. This cross-sectional research comprised 256 individuals subjected to cardiac coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for coronary artery calcification (CAC), high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) at the tibia and radius with standardized z score parameters, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to evaluate bone status. Read More

Acad Radiol 2022 06 28;29(6):861-870. Epub 2022 Feb 28.

Division of Experimental Imaging, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

Purpose: To assess and correlate pulmonary involvement and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia with the degree of coronary plaque burden based on the CAC-DRS classification (Coronary Artery Calcium Data and Reporting System).

Methods: This retrospective study included 142 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia (58 ± 16 years; 57 women) who underwent non-contrast CT between January 2020 and August 2021 and were followed up for 129 ± 72 days. One experienced blinded radiologist analyzed CT series for the presence and extent of calcified plaque burden according to the visual and quantitative HU-based CAC-DRS Score. Read More