Diagnostic accuracy of dual-source computed tomography in the detection of coronary chronic total occlusion: Comparison with invasive angiography

The present study is designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of dual-source computed tomography (CT) in the detection of coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO). Dual-source CT diagnosed 149 patients with 258 significant coronary artery lesions including CTOs. The diagnosis was redecided by subsequent invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Eighty seven CTOs were finally identified by ICA. Dual-source CT correctly detected 84 of these 87 occlusions, but falsely diagnosed 9 severe stenosis lesions as CTOs. Calcification had an influence on the accuracy of CTO detection. Our findings indicated that dual-source CT had a good ability to detect CTOs, in spite of a slight bias towards overestimating the stenosis degree, especially when there was severe calcification.