Semiautomatic Volumetry of Low Attenuation of Thoracic Aortic Plaques on Curved Planar Reformations Using MDCT Angiographic Data with 0.5 mm Collimation

Table 2

Characteristics of noncalcified largest plaques on cross-section thoracic aorta multiplanar reformation and univariate correlations with AAA, CAD, and hypertension.

Noncalcified largest plaque; mean ± sd/No. (%)	AAA	CAD; ≥50% stenosis	Severe CAD; ≥90% stenosis	Hypertension	Long-term; (≥10 years); hypertension
The ascending aorta
Thickness; 1.60 mm ± 1.12	0.120; (0.247)	0.248; (0.015)	0.153; (0.138)	−0.110; (0.288)	0.227; (0.027)
≥4 mm thickness; 9 (9.5)	0.307; (0.003)	0.264; (0.010)	0.130; (0.208)	0.133; (0.199)	0.029; (0.782)
With low attenuation; 18 (18.9)	0.023; (0825)	0.154; (0.137)	−0.003; (0.979)	0.042; (0.684)	−0.099; (0.340)
The aortic arch
Thickness; 2.88 mm ± 1.18	0.126; (0.225)	0.006; (0.703)	0.441; (<0.001)	0.213; (0.039)	0.512; (<0.001)
≥4 mm thickness; 23 (24.2)	0.115; (0.265)	0.060; (0.562)	0.450; (<0.001)	0.143; (0.167)	0.423; (<0.001)
With low attenuation; 46 (48.4)	0.155; (0.134)	0.155; (0.134)	0.186; (0.071)	−0.012; (0.911)	0.313; (0.002)
The upper descending aorta
Thickness; 2.52 mm ± 1.04	0.267; (0.009)	0.296; (0.004)	0.171; (0.098)	−0.020; (0.849)	0.239; (0.009)
≥4 mm thickness; 10 (10.5)	0.194; (0.060)	0.140; (0.176)	0.191; (0.069)	−0.006; (0.953)	0.266; (0.635)
With low attenuation; 17 (17.9)	0.158; (0.126)	0.067; (0.517)	0.031; (0.762)	−0.066; (0.522)	0.027; (0.793)

AAA: abdominal aortic aneurysm, CAD: coronary arterial disease, moderate correlation.