Incremental diagnostic accuracy of computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging over coronary angiography stratified by pre-test probability of coronary artery disease and severity of coronary artery calcification: The CORE320 study.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial CT perfusion (CTP) has been validated as an incremental diagnostic predictor over coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) in assessing hemodynamically significant stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the diagnostic performance of CTA and CTP alone versus combined CTA-CTP stratified by Morise's pre-test probability and coronary artery calcium (CAC, Agatston) score.

METHODS: 381 individuals (153 low/intermediate-risk for CAD, 83 high-risk, 145 known CAD) were further stratified based on CAC score cut-offs of 1-399 and ≥400. Area under the curve for receiver operating characteristics (AUC) was calculated to assess the diagnostic performance. Reference standards were QCA≥50% stenosis+corresponding SPECT summed stress score ≥1.

RESULTS: In both pre-test risk groups with an Agatston score of 1-399, AUCs of CTA-CTP were not significantly different than that from CTA alone. In the low/intermediate-risk group with CAC score 1-399, AUC for CTA-CTP (89) was higher than that for CTP (76, p=0.003) alone. In the same group with CAC score ≥400, AUCs were higher for CTA-CTP (97) than that for CTA (88, p=0.030) and CTP (83, p=0.033). In high risk/known CAD patients with CAC 1-399, diagnostic performance for CTA-CTP (77) was superior to CTP (71, p=0.037) alone. In the high risk/known CAD group with CAC score ≥400, AUCs for combined imaging were higher (86) than that for CTA (75, p<0.001) as well as CTP (78, p=0.020).

CONCLUSIONS: The incremental diagnostic accuracy of CTP over CTA persists in patients across severity spectra of pre-test probability of CAD and coronary artery calcification. In patients with severe coronary calcification (CAC score≥400), combined CTA-CTP has better diagnostic accuracy than CTA and CTP alone.