AIMS

To compare the accuracy of two plaque delineation methods for coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) to identify lipid-core plaque (LCP) using histology as the reference standard.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Five ex vivo hearts were analysed by CTA and histology. LCP was defined by histology as fibroatheroma with core diameter/circumference >200 μm/>60° and cap thickness <450 μm. In CTA, plaque was manually delineated either as the difference between the inner and outer vessel walls (Method A) or as a direct tracing of plaque (Method B). Low-attenuation plaque was defined as an area with <90 Hounsfield units. Of 446 co-registered cross-sections, 55 (12%) contained LCP. In CTA, low-attenuation plaque area was larger as assessed with Method A compared with Method B (difference: 120 ± 60%). Although low-attenuation plaque was associated with the presence of LCP, the delineation Method B yielded higher diagnostic accuracy than Method A [area under the curve (AUC): 0.831 vs. 0.780, respectively, P = 0.005]. After excluding 'normal' cross-sections by CTA (n = 117), AUC for detecting LCP became similar between both methods (0.767 vs. 0.729, P = 0.07, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Low-attenuation plaque in CTA is a diagnostic tool for LCP but prone to error if plaque is defined as the area between the inner and outer vessel walls and normal cross-sections are included in the assessment.