Clinical value of sixteen-detector row computed tomography angiography for the evaluation of coronary artery disease in patients with chest pain

Objective To evaluate the clinical value of sixteen-detector row computed tomography angiography (CTA) for the evaluation of coronary artery disease in the patients with chest pain suspected of coronary heart disease. Methods Fifty-two patients with chest pain suspected of coronary heart disease were,examined by CTA with sixteen- detector row CT and by conventional invasive coronary angiography (CAG) respectively for the evaluation of coronary artery disease.The sensitivity,specificity,positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of CTA were evaluated by the results of CAG.Results Among all the 627 coronary artery segments,546 (87%) were evaluated by CTA.Of the 546 assessable coronary artery segments,the sensitivity,specificity,PPV and NPV of CTA were 94%,95%, 82% and 99%,respectively.The sensitivity,specificity,PPV and NPV of CTA in the diagnosis of left main disease and proximal,middle segment of coronary artery disease were higher than those of CTA in the diagnosis of distal segment of coronary artery disease and side branches disease.Conclusions CTA technology can accurately evaluate the coronary artery disease (especially for proximal and middle segment) in the patients with chest pain suspected of coronary heart disease.