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Atherosclerotic pattern of coronary myocardial bridging assessed with CT coronary angiography

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Abstract

The aim of our study was to evaluate the atherosclerotic pattern of patients with coronary myocardial bridging (MB) by means of CT Coronary Angiography (CT-CA). 254 consecutive patients (166 male, mean age 58.6 ± 10.3) who underwent 64-slice CT-CA according to current clinical indications were reviewed for the presence of MB and concomitant segmental atherosclerotic pattern. Coronary plaques were assessed in all patients enrolled. 73 patients (29%) presented single (90%) or multiple (10%) MB, frequently (93%) localized in the mid-distal left anterior descending artery. The MB segment was always free of atherosclerosis. Segments proximal to the MB presented: no atherosclerotic disease (n = 37), positive remodeling (n = 23), <50% (n = 14), or >50% stenoses (n = 7). Distal segments presented a different atherosclerosis pattern (P < 0.0001): absence of disease (n = 73), no significant lesions (n = 8). No significant differences were found between segments proximal to MB and proximal coronary segments apart from left main trunk. Pattern of atherosclerotic lesions located in segments 6 and 7 significantly differs between patients with MB and patients without MB (P < 0.05). CT-CA is a reliable method to non-invasively demonstrate MB and related atherosclerotic pattern. CT-CA provides new insight regarding atherosclerosis distribution in segments close to MB.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, DIBIMEF, University Hospital “P. Giaccone”, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127, Palermo, Italy

    Ludovico La Grutta, Giuseppe Runza, Massimo Galia, Giuseppe Lo Re, Emanuele Grassedonio & Massimo Midiri

  2. Department of Radiology and Cardiology, University Hospital, via Gramsci 14, 43100, Parma, Italy

    Erica Maffei & Filippo Cademartiri

  3. Department of Cardiology, San Gennaro Hospital, Naples, Italy

    Carlo Tedeschi

  4. Department of Radiology and Cardiology, Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Filippo Cademartiri

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  1. Ludovico La Grutta
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  2. Giuseppe Runza
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  3. Massimo Galia
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Correspondence to Ludovico La Grutta.

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La Grutta, L., Runza, G., Galia, M. et al. Atherosclerotic pattern of coronary myocardial bridging assessed with CT coronary angiography. Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 28, 405–414 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-011-9817-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10554-011-9817-2

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