PET/CT vs. Cardiac CT for Detecting Coronary Atherosclerotic Disease

Early detection of coronary atherosclerotic disease facilitates adequate prevention. 18 Fluoride (F) -sodium fluoride PET/CT (NaF-PET/ CT) has been shown to detect aortic microcalcification as early manifestation of atherosclerosis in experimental and early clinical investigations. The capability of NaF-PET/CT to detect coronary atherosclerotic disease in humans remains unclear. Given its sensitivity to detect vascular microcalcification undetectable by conventional CT, NaF-PET/CT may be an attractive, noninvasive test for early detection of coronary atherosclerosis.

The purpose of this study is to compare an assessment of coronary atherosclerotic disease burden by positron emission tomography / computed tomography (NaF-PET/CT) with those of conventional and ultra-high-resolution-CT (UHR-CT) in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). For this purpose, the investigators plan to include 33 patients with symptoms concerning for CAD who have been referred for cardiac CT testing. In addition to the clinically indicated and performed cardiac CT scan, participants will be asked to also undergo NaF-PET/CT for comparison of atherosclerosis assessment among the two tests (single center, prospective diagnostic accuracy study).