Determination of maximum stent density using different software

Currently, coronary heart disease (CHD) remains the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in the world. In 1990, A. Agatston hypothesized that calcification of the coronary arteries may be one of the risk factors for the development of coronary heart disease (CHD) and the occurrence of associated adverse cardiovascular events. The calcium index (CI), calculated according to the MSCT data, was proposed as an indicator reflecting the severity of calcification. Assessment of coronary calcium levels can also play an important role in determining the tactics of surgical treatment of coronary artery disease: the presence of bulky dense calcifications in the vessel wall at the level of the planned coronary stent site is associated with an increased risk of incomplete stent opening, leading to unsuccessful revascularization. According to the clinical recommendations of 2024, when planning surgical revascularization in patients with severe coronary artery calcification, it is recommended to give preference to coronary artery bypass grafting. However, the method of calculating coronary calcium has a number of disadvantages, one of which is its high dependence on MSCT parameters and relatively low reproducibility. The second significant drawback is the complexity of its application in calculating the CI of already stented patients. The latter may be required when planning surgical treatment of developed restenoses. Objective: to determine the possibility of using various software and the reproducibility of the results of assessing the X-ray density of a coronary stent. Materials and methods. The X-ray parameters of the PutNiy stent, expandable in an air environment, with a drug-coated Serolimus, were determined. To do this, the stent was opened stepwise at a pressure of 6 to 20 atm., after each stage of increasing the pressure on the cylinder, an MSCT scan of the stent was performed. The MSCT data was processed using Singo software.via and RadiAnt DICOM Viewer. To confirm the results using a clinical example, a comparison of the X-ray parameters (obtained using the same software) of coronary calcifications and a previously installed stent was performed. Results. The X-ray dimensions of the stent obtained using the two software did not differ significantly. The differences in the values of the maximum density of the studied structures obtained using the two software amounted to no more than 15%. Conclusion. The results obtained indicate their relative reproducibility. It is planned to continue the study to obtain statistically significant results.