Background: Coronary artery calcification, of established predictive value, can be assessed by conventional chest computed tomography (CT). Objective: To assess the prognostic value of nomograms for global plaque burden applied to data obtained by convent

Abstract

Background: Coronary artery calcification, of established predictive value, can be assessed by conventional chest computed tomography (CT). Objective: To assess the prognostic value of nomograms for global plaque burden applied to data obtained by conventional chest CT scan. Methods: Consecutive patients between 40 and 74 years undergoing clinically indicated conventional chest CT scan at our institution were included between August and December 2012. The presence and extent of coronary artery calcifications was evaluated and the patients were grouped according to age- and sex-adjusted percentiles of segment involvement score (CACSIS). Results: A total of 1,194 patients were included in the study. After a mean follow-up of 3.7±0.5 years, 53 (4.4%) patients died. There was a significant association between sex- and age-adjusted survival rates and CACSIS (RR1.27; 95% CI, 1.01-1.60, p=0.040). Conclusions: Age-adjusted nomograms for global atherosclerotic plaque burden applied to conventional chest CT scan were predictors of mortality.