Axial chest CT identifies enlargement with high specificity and reasonable sensitivity.
Computed tomography is a viable alternative to cardiac MRI for assessing heart chamber enlargement, according to a study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology.
Researchers from Canada performed a retrospective study to establish sex-specific chest CT measurement thresholds for detection of cardiac chamber enlargement with cardiac MRI as the reference standard.
Related article: Cardiac Findings Should Be Noted on Chest CT When Observed
Study subjects included 115 men and 102 women (mean age 52.8 years) who underwent contrast-enhanced chest CT (64- or 320-MDCT) and cardiac MRI within a 7-day interval between August 2006 and August 2016. Measurements were performed on axial CT images to evaluate right atrial (RA), right ventricular (RV), left atrial (LA), and left ventricular (LV) chamber size. The presence of chamber enlargement (RAE, RVE, LAE, and LVE) was established with cardiac MRI as the reference standard. ROC analysis was performed. Optimal sex-specific CT measurement thresholds were identified that ensured specificity of 90% or greater and maximized sensitivity.
Prevalence of chamber enlargement:
The following CT measurement thresholds were optimal:
The researchers concluded that cardiac chamber enlargement can be identified with high specificity and reasonable sensitivity on axial chest CT images by use of sex-specific measurement thresholds.
Can Polyenergetic Reconstruction Help Resolve Streak Artifacts in Photon Counting CT?
July 22nd 2024New research looking at photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) demonstrated significantly reduced variation and tracheal air density attenuation with polyenergetic reconstruction in contrast to monoenergetic reconstruction on chest CT.
Systematic Review: PET/MRI May be More Advantageous than PET/CT in Cancer Imaging
July 18th 2024While PET/MRI and PET/CT had comparable sensitivity for patient-level regional nodal metastases and lesion-level recurrence, the authors of a systematic review noted that PET/MRI had significantly higher accuracy in breast cancer and colorectal cancer staging.
The Reading Room: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Cancer Screenings, and COVID-19
November 3rd 2020In this podcast episode, Dr. Shalom Kalnicki, from Montefiore and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, discusses the disparities minority patients face with cancer screenings and what can be done to increase access during the pandemic.