Volumetric Quantification of Coronary Artery Calcifications Using Dual-Slice Spiral CT Scanner: Improved Reproducibility of Measurements with 180° Linear Interpolation Algorithm

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Abstract
The purpose of this work was to determine the reproducibility of coronary total calcium score (TCS) with dual-slice helical CT and compare three acquisition protocols. Fifty patients (59 +/- 10 years old) underwent dual-slice helical CT (collimation = 2 x 2.5 mm) and coronary angiography. Two successive scans were performed, resulting in three sets of images: pitch = 1, 360 degrees linear interpolation (LI) (A360); pitch = 1, 180 degrees LI (A180); and pitch = 1.5, 180 degrees LI (B180). TCS values, calculated using a volumetric method with a threshold of 90 HU, were compared, and the interscan variation was determined. Diagnostic performances were compared with receiver operating characteristic curves. Protocol A360 provided significantly lower TCS than protocols A180 and B180 (p < 0.0001). No statistical difference was seen between A180 and B180, which provided the lowest interscan variation (40 +/- 58%). However, no significant clinical impact of the observed interscan variations was found. Reproducibility of TCS with dual-slice helical CT is improved by the 180 LI algorithm. However, dual-slice helical CT is not sufficiently reproducible to allow serial quantification of TCS over time.