New, Automated System For Diagnosis Of Major Coronary Artery Stenosis Allows Radiologists To Prioritize Critical Cases

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Also Included In: MRI / PET / Ultrasound;  Radiology / Nuclear Medicine;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 24 Apr 2009 - 5:00 PDT

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A new automated system designed for the interpretation of coronary CT angiography (CCTA), helps radiologists determine which cases are high priority and should be read first, according to a study performed at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, PA.

The study included 100 CCTA studies submitted for evaluation using the new automated system (COR Analyzer II Software). "The software detected 10/13 patients with artery stenosis 50% or greater and correctly identified 59/80 patients with less than 50% artery stenosis," said Shaoxiong Zhang, MD, lead author of the study. The negative predictive value for the study population was high, 95%," said Dr. Zhang.

This new technology offers promising results for the diagnosis of stenosis in the major coronary arteries, although "more research needs to be done to further improve the accuracy of the software in identifying significant disease," said Dr. Zhang. "Study interpretation using the automated interpretation of CCTA studies will allow for shorter reading times in negative cases and reduced response times in positive cases," he said.

"In urban areas there are high demands to provide 24/7/365 day coverage and cardiac imaging may not be available during nights and weekends. Rural area, outpatient diagnostic centers may be lacking cardiac imaging experts. Preliminary study interpretation using the new rapid, automated interpretation system may potentially allow for better prioritization of cases for evaluation by the expert leader," said Dr. Zhang.

This study will be presented at the 2009 ARRS Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, on Monday, April 27.

About ARRS

The American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) was founded in 1900 and is the oldest radiology society in the United States. Its monthly journal, the American Journal of Roentgenology, began publication in 1906. Radiologists from all over the world attend the ARRS annual meeting to participate in instructional courses, scientific paper presentations and scientific and commercial exhibits related to the field of radiology. The Society is named after the first Nobel Laureate in Physics, Wilhelm Röentgen, who discovered the x-ray in 1895.

Source: American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS)

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