Abstract Background Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse has been associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). Pericoronary fat attenuation (pFA) is a marker of coronary inflammation, which is key in the atherosclerotic process. Objective To evaluate pFA and inflammatory profile in AAS users. Methods Twenty strength-trained AAS users (AASU), 20 AAS nonusers (AASNU), and 10 sedentary controls (SC) were evaluated. Coronary inflammation was evaluated by mean pericoronary fat attenuation (mPFA) in the right coronary artery (RCA), left anterior descending coronary artery […]

Max Planck once said that “A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.” In its beginnings, coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) was accused of having too low accuracy for the diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) to be used in clinical practice. Over the last decade, major technical developments such as larger […]

A 34-year-old man was referred to our institution after an echocardiography performed at another center because of tachycardia (atrial flutter), which showed heterogeneous pericardial mass infiltrating the right chambers. Thoracic computed tomography (CT) and cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were performed for more accurate assessment of the exact tumor location, size, and potential infiltration of other cardiac and mediastinal structures. CT () and MR imaging () confirmed an 8-cm ill-defined heterogeneous enhancing pericardial mass infiltrating the anterior and superior walls […]

Abstract Background: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) allows for noninvasive coronary artery disease (CAD) phenotyping. Factors related to CAD progression are epidemiologically valuable. Objective: To identify factors associated with CAD progression in patients undergoing sequential CCTA testing. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 384 consecutive patients who had at least two CCTA studies between December 2005 and March 2013. Due to limitations in the quantification of CAD progression, we excluded patients who had undergone surgical revascularization previously or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) […]