Fig. 3: Absence of calcified plaque in middle-aged patients with coronary atherosclerosis. | Nature Reviews Cardiology

Fig. 3: Absence of calcified plaque in middle-aged patients with coronary atherosclerosis.

From: Coronary CT angiography evaluation with artificial intelligence for individualized medical treatment of atherosclerosis: a Consensus Statement from the QCI Study Group

Fig. 3

Coronary arteries with non-calcified plaque (NCP; blue) emphasize the presence of clinically relevant atherosclerotic plaques that are undetected by coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring alone. a, Left anterior descending artery (LAD) of a man aged 39 years, with typical angina and a CAC score of 0. b, LAD of a man aged 48 years, with atypical angina and a CAC score of 0. c, Right coronary artery (RCA) of an asymptomatic woman aged 52 years, with a CAC score of 0. The absence of calcified plaques underscores the importance of incorporating measurement of NCP volume (NCPV) into treatment recommendations, complementing traditional calcium-based assessments, to ensure comprehensive management. The NCPV is quantified for the segment shown, whereas CAC scoring is quantified over the entire cardiovascular tree.

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