MACD - an imaging marker for cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Despite general acceptance that a healthy lifestyle and the treatment of risk factors can prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), CVD are the most common cause of death in Europe and the United States. It has been shown that abdominal aortic calcifications (AAC) correlate strongly with coronary artery calcifications. Hence an early detection of aortic calcified plaques helps to predict the risk of related coronary diseases. Also since two thirds of the adverse events have no prior symptoms, possibilities to screen for risk in low cost imaging are important. To this end the Morphological Atherosclerotic Calcification Distribution (MACD) index was developed. In the following several potential severity scores relating to the geometrical outline of the calcified deposits in the lumbar aortic region are introduced. Their individual as well as their combined predictive power is examined and a combined marker, MACD, is constructed. This is done using a Cox regression analysis, also known as survival analysis. Furthermore we show how a Cox regression yields MACD to be the most efficient marker. We also demonstrate that MACD has a larger individual predictive power than any of the other individual imaging markers described. Finally we present that the MACD index predicts cardiovascular death with a hazard ratio of approximately four.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationMedical Imaging 2010 : computer-aided diagnosis
EditorsNico Karssemeijer, Ronald M. Summers
Number of pages9
PublisherSPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering
Publication date2010
Article number76240
ISBN (Electronic)9780819480255
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010
EventMedical Imaging 2010: computer-aided diagnosis - San Diego, United States
Duration: 16 Feb 201018 Feb 2010

Conference

ConferenceMedical Imaging 2010
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego
Period16/02/201018/02/2010

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