Aims: Dynamic myocardial CT perfusion (DM-CTP) can, in combination with coronary CT angiography (CCTA), provide anatomical and functional evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, normal values of myocardial blood flow (MBF) are needed to identify impaired myocardial blood supply in patients with suspected CAD.We aimed to establish normal values for MBF measured using DM-CTP, to assess the effects of age and sex, and to assess regional distribution of MBF.
Methods and results: A total of 82 healthy individuals (46 women) aged 45-78 years with normal coronary arteries by CCTA underwent either rest and adenosine stress DM-CTP (n = 30) or adenosine induced stress DM-CTP only (n = 52). Global and segmental MBF were assessed. Global MBF at rest and during stress were 0.93 ± 0.42 mL/min/g and 3.58 ± 1.14 mL/min/g respectively. MBF was not different between the sexes (P = 0.88 at rest and P = 0.61 during stress) and no correlation was observed between MBF and age (P = 0.08 at rest and P = 0.82 during stress). Among the 16 myocardial segments, significant inter-segmental differences were found (P < 0.01), which was not related to age, sex or coronary dominance.
Conclusion: Myocardial blood flow assessed by DM-CTP in healthy individuals with normal coronary arteries displays significant intersegmental heterogeneity which does not seem to be affected by age, sex or coronary dominance. Normal values of myocardial blood flow may be helpful in the clinical evaluation of suspected myocardial ischemia using DM-CTP.
Keywords: Adenosine stress; Dynamic myocardial CT perfusion; Myocardial blood flow; Normal material; Normal values; Segmental heterogeneity.
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