Reporting of coronary artery calcification on chest CT studies in breast cancer patients at high risk of cancer therapy related cardiac events

• Published in: International journal of cardiology. Heart & vasculature 2018-03, Vol.18, p.12-16
• Main Authors: Phillips, William J., Johnson, Christopher, Law, Angeline, Turek, Michele, Small, Alex R., Inacio, Joao R., Dent, Susan, Ruddy, Terrence, Beanlands, Rob S., Chow, Benjamin J.W., Small, Gary R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cardiac oncology; Coronary calcification and chest CT; Original Paper
• ISSN: 2352-9067; 2352-9067
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcha.2018.02.001

The identification of coronary artery calcification (CAC) detected coincidentally on chest CT exams could assist in cardiovascular risk assessment but may not be reported consistently on clinical studies. Cardiovascular risk factor stratification is important to predict short term cardiac events during cancer therapy and long term cardiac event free survival in cancer patients. We sought to determine the prevalence of CAC and clinical reporting rates in a cohort of cancer patients at high risk of cancer therapy related cardiac events. 408 Breast cancer patients who were referred to a cardiac oncology clinic were screened. Inclusion criteria included having had a CT chest and the absence of known coronary disease. Among those screened 263 patients were included in the study. CAC was identified in 70 patients (26%). CAC was reported in 18% of studies. The reporting rates of CAC increased with the extent of coronary calcification (p