Diagnostic value of delayed enhancement 64-detector row CT in myocardial infarction

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the value of delayed enhancement 64-detector row CT (DECT) for diagnosing acute myocardial infarct (AMI). Methods: Thirty patients with suspected myocardial ischemia underwent coronary CT angiography (CTA). DECT was performed 5-10 minutes after intravenous contrast injection. The images were analyzed by two reviewers independently. The CTA and DECT were compared using k test. Results: The consistency between the two observers was higher with the DECT (k = 0.889, P < 0.05) than that of CTA (k = 0.667, P < 0.05). The sensitivity (80.0%) and specificity (96.2%) of DECT for diagnosing AMI were also significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of CTA (66.7%, 92.3%). Conclusions: DECT can assess AMI accurately. (authors)