Quantitative Analysis of Lower Leg Muscle Enhancement Measured From Dynamic Computed Tomographic Angiography for Diagnosis of Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether quantitative analysis of lower leg muscle enhancement measured from dynamic computed tomographic angiography (dyn-CTA) could be used for diagnosis of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. METHODS: Patients (N = 35) with known peripheral arterial occlusive disease underwent the dyn-CTA of calves first. Five minutes later, standard CTA of the peripheral runoff from the diaphragm to the toes was performed. A runoff score was assigned by radiologists as a reference standard for each of 4 lower leg artery segments. The lower leg muscle enhancement measured from the dyn-CTA was analyzed by using quantitative kinetic parameters, including initial enhancement (E1), peak enhancement (Epeak), and enhancement ratio (ER) calculated from average time attenuation curves. In addition, histogram of lower leg muscle enhancement was evaluated by using the first enhanced phase images. RESULTS: Lower extremities were diagnosed as a normal group (n = 22) with each vessel segment score equals to 1 or lower and runoff score, 7 or lower, and otherwise as an ischemia group (n = 48). Average +/- SD E1 is 91.4% +/- 8.5% and 82.3% +/- 10.7%, Epeak is 122.7% +/- 10.4% and 115.6% +/- 11.1%, and ER is 0.75 +/- 0.05 and 0.72 +/- 0.09 for normal and ischemia group, respectively. Statistical analysis showed that average E1 and Epeak for the ischemia group were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than the normal group. The histogram analysis demonstrated that mean and median of muscle enhancement in the ischemia group were significantly smaller (P < 0.05), and coefficient of variation (CV) was significantly larger (P < 0.05) than the normal group. There were weak negative correlations (r = -0.42, P < 0.05) between runoff scores and E1 and Epeak, and weak positive correlation (r = 0.40, P < 0.05) between runoff scores and CV. The receiver operating characteristics analysis between the 2 groups had area under the curve of 0.77 and 0.76 for E1 and CV, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Lower leg muscle enhancement measured from the dyn-CTA could be assessed quantitatively to assist diagnosis of ischemia in clinical practice.