Novel diagnostic procedure: Warfarin improved CT values of the coronary artery artherosclerotic plaque: evaluation by 64-MDCTA

摘要

64-multidetector CT angiography (MDCTA) can identify plaques and assess different plaque components (lipid, fibrous tissue and calcifications). The first patient was a 75-year-old-man with atrial fibrillation (AF). Axial 64-MDCTA image of a coronary artery atherosclerotic plaque was obtained, which included the plaque on the outer vessel wall. The authors measured the five points of CT values around the vague center of the plaque with almost equal interval, which was shown in figure 1. Max was 80 Hounsfield unit (HU), and min was 28 HU. After 3 months warfarin therapy (1.5 mg id), max increased to 100 HU, and min increased to 69 HU. The second patient was a 74-year-old-male with hypertension and AF. Max was 61 HU, and min was 37 HU. After 3 months warfarin therapy (2.5 mg id), max increased to 70 HU, and min increased to 50 HU. Warfarin increased CT values of the artherosclerotic plaques in two patients with AF.