Coronary artery and thoracic aorta calcification is inversely related to coronary flow reserve as measured by (82)Rb PET/CT in intermediate risk patients

BACKGROUND: The strength and nature of the relationship between myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), coronary flow reserve (CFR), and coronary artery calcium (CAC) and thoracic aorta calcium (TAC) remain to be clarified. METHODS: Dynamic rest-pharmacological stress (82)Rb positron emission tomography/computed tomography MPI with CFR, CAC, and TAC was performed in 75 patients (59 ± 13 years; F/M = 38/37) with intermediate risk of coronary artery disease. RESULTS: A total of 29 (39%) patients had ischemic and 46 (61%) had normal MPI. CAC was correlated with TAC (ρ = 0.7; P < .001), and CFR was inversely related with CAC and TAC (ρ = −0.6 and −0.5; P < .001, respectively). By gender-specific univariate analysis, age (P = .001), CAC (P = .004), and CFR (P = .008) in males, but CFR (P = .0001), age (P = .002), and TAC (P = .01) in females were significant predictors of ischemic MPI. By multiple regression, the most potent predictor was CFR [odds ratio (OR) = 0.17, P = .01), followed by age (OR = 1.07, P = .02), gender (OR = 4.01, P = .03), and CAC (OR = 1.002, P = .9). CONCLUSIONS: Combination of MPI, CFR, CAC, and TAC has complementary roles in intermediate risk patients. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12350-013-9675-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.