• 대한영상의학회지
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• 제83권1호
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• pp.28-41
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• 2022

급성 관상동맥 증후군은 관상동맥 경화반의 갑작스러운 파열과 관련된 3가지 유형의 관상동맥 질환을 의미하며 임상적으로는 ST 분절 상승 심근경색에서 비 ST 분절 상승 심근경색 또는 불안정성 협심증 등으로 표현된다. 심장 CT의 기술 발전을 통해 심장 CT는 관상동맥 내 죽상동맥경화반의 정량화 및 특성을 평가할 수 있게 되었으며, 현재까지 낮은 감쇠의 경화반, 냅킨 반지 표시, 양성 리모델링, 점상 석회화 및 증가된 혈관 주변 지방 감쇠가 심장 CT에서 경화반 파열을 의미하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 따라서 심장 CT는 관상동맥의 혈관협착정도를 진단하는 것을 넘어 급성 관상동맥 증후군을 진단하는데도 많은 기여를 하고 있다.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.729-738
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• 2019

Objective: To assess the effects of iterative model reconstruction (IMR) on image quality for demonstrating non-calcific high-risk plaque characteristics of coronary arteries. Materials and Methods: This study included 66 patients (53 men and 13 women; aged 39-76 years; mean age, 55 ± 13 years) having single-vessel disease with predominantly non-calcified plaques evaluated using prospective electrocardiogram-gated 256-slice CT angiography. Paired image sets were created using two types of reconstruction: hybrid iterative reconstruction (HIR) and IMR. Plaque characteristics were compared using the two algorithms. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the images and the CNR between the plaque and adjacent adipose tissue were also compared between the two reformatted methods. Results: Seventy-seven predominantly non-calcified plaques were detected. Forty plaques showed napkin-ring sign with the IMR reformatted method, while nineteen plaques demonstrated napkin-ring sign with HIR. There was no statistically significant difference in the presentation of positive remodeling, low attenuation plaque, and spotty calcification between the HIR and IMR reconstructed methods (all p > 0.5); however, there was a statistically significant difference in the ability to discern the napkin-ring sign between the two algorithms (χ² = 12.12, p < 0.001). The image noise of IMR was lower than that of HIR (10 ± 2 HU versus 12 ± 2 HU; p < 0.01), and the SNR and CNR of the images and the CNR between plaques and surrounding adipose tissues on IMR were better than those on HIR (p < 0.01). Conclusion: IMR can significantly improve image quality compared with HIR for the demonstration of coronary artery and atherosclerotic plaques using a 256-slice CT.