Monosodium Urate Crystal Deposition in Coronary Artery Plaque by 128-Slice Dual-Energy Computed Tomography: An Ex Vivo Phantom and In Vivo Study.
J Comput Assist Tomogr
; 45(6): 856-862, 2021.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34469909
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
Monosodium uric acid (MSU) crystals may accumulate in the coronary plaque. The objective was to assess whether dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) allows for detection of MSU in coronary plaque.METHODS:
Patients were examined with 128-slice DECT applying a cardiac electrocardiogram-gated and peripheral extremity protocol. Patients were divided into 3 groups gout (tophi >1 cm in peripheral joints), hyperuricemia (>6.5 mg/dL serum uric acid), and controls. The groups were matched for cardiovascular risk factors. Monosodium uric acid-positive (+) and calcified plaque were distinguished, and the coronary artery calcium score was calculated. Ex vivo phantom MSU solutions were diluted in different NaCL solutions (5%/10%/15%/20%/25%). Coronary artery models with 2 different plaque types (MSU+ and calcified) were created.RESULTS:
A total of 96 patients were included (37 with gout, 33 with hyperuricemia, and 26 controls). Monosodium uric acid-positive plaques were found more often in patients with gout as compared with controls (91.9% vs 0.38%; P < 0.0001), and the number of plaques was higher (P < 0.0001). Of 102 MSU+ plaques, 26.7% were only MSU+ and 74.2% were mixed MSU+/calcified. Monosodium uric acid-positive plaque had mean 232.3 Hounsfield units (range, 213-264). Coronary artery calcium score was higher in patients with gout as compared with controls (659.1 vs 112.4 Agatston score; P < 0.001). Patients with gout had more MSU+ plaques as compared with patients with hyperuricemia (91.6% vs 2.9%; P < 0.0001), and coronary artery calcium score was higher (659.1 vs 254 Agatston score; P < 0.001), but there was no difference between patients with hyperuricemia and controls. Ex vivo phantom study MSU crystals were detected by DECT in solutions with a concentration of 15% or greater MSU and could be distinguished from calcified.CONCLUSIONS:
Coronary MSU+ plaques can be detected by DECT in patients with gout.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Uric Acid
/
Coronary Artery Disease
/
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
/
Radiography, Dual-Energy Scanned Projection
/
Plaque, Atherosclerotic
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Language:
En
Journal:
J Comput Assist Tomogr
Year:
2021
Document type:
Article