OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the clinical value of fatty pancreas (FP) in predicting coronary atherosclerosis by studying the correlation between the extent of pancreatic fat deposition and coronary artery calcification.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Totally, 153 patients who underwent dyslipidemic medical check-ups at our hospital were selected and divided into 4 groups of calcification-none, mild, moderate, and severe-based on the coronary artery calcification score (CACS) obtained using low-dose chest computed tomography (CT). Upper abdominal CT was performed using a conventional dose and the pancreas/spleen attenuation ratio was measured. FP was quantified by measuring the pancreas/spleen grey scale ratio using ultrasound and classified as non, mild, moderate, and severe FP.

RESULTS

Analysis of the ultrasound pancreas/spleen grey scale ratio and CT pancreas/spleen attenuation ratio revealed significant correlations between FP and CACS ( P < 0.001). Kappa test and receiver operating characteristic curves (area under the curve = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91-0.99) demonstrated good agreement between FP and CACS in all grades, with good predictive efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we demonstrated that in dyslipidemic populations, as the grade of FP classification increased, the CACS also increased. Therefore, ultrasound could be employed to classify FP, which could serve as an alternative predictor of coronary artery calcification incidence. It is a noninvasive, radiation-free, convenient, and cost-effective method that could be used for risk assessment of coronary atherosclerosis, to identify people at risk of coronary heart disease at an early stage, and to intervene promptly to control the disease development.