Wednesday, December 2 | 11:50 a.m.-12:00 p.m. | SSK04-09 | Room S504AB
Calcium blooming in coronary CT angiography (CCTA) images makes calcium appear larger than its actual size, exaggerating the extent of luminal stenosis and producing false-positive tests, which can lead to inappropriate clinical management.This study from Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals in Cleveland included 59 patients who underwent CCTA; the patients were scanned using a prototype spectral detector CT scanner (Philips Healthcare) to reduce calcium blooming in monoenergetic images acquired at 70 keV to 140 keV.
"In our study, we show that there is progressively lower calcium blooming at virtual monoenergetic images from 70 to 140 keV generated from a spectral detector CT scanner," Dr. Hamid Chalian told AuntMinnie.com. "This reduction of calcium blooming can improve the diagnostic accuracy of CCTA in patients with calcific plaques and decrease false-positive diagnosis."
Another study to be presented by the group at RSNA 2015 looked at suboptimal CCTA studies, which often require repeat contrast injection and repeat CT. But virtual monoenergetic images generated retrospectively using the same prototype spectral detector CT scanner enabled the clinicians to skip the extra scan.
"This technology will obviate the need for additional contrast injection and reduce radiation exposure while maintaining diagnostic image quality," Chalian said.
![Axial images from unenhanced calcium score cardiac CT (left) and curved planar reformation images from CT angiography (right) show that higher long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with greater coronary artery calcium and more obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD). Top row: Images in a 68-year-old male patient with higher 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (7.9 μg/m3 for particulate matter measuring ≤2.5 μm in diameter [PM2.5] and 17.4 parts per billion [ppb] for NO2) with extensive CAD (coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >1,000 and obstructive CAD [≥70% diameter stenosis]). Bottom row: Images in a 57-year-old female patient with lower 10-year mean ambient air pollution exposure (6.3 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 4.6 ppb for NO2) with no CAD (CACS = 0 and no obstructive stenosis).](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/06/hanneman.r6SMLzkezo.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
