Comparison of aortic root dimension changes during cardiac cycle between the patients with and without aortic valve calcification using ECG-gated 64-slice and dual-source 256-slice computed tomography scanners: results of a multicenter study

With advent of transcatheter aortic valve implantation, using multislice computed tomography (MSCT) to provide detailed data about aortic root has become more crucial. We compared aortic dimension changes during cardiac cycle in patients with and without aortic valve calcification and evaluated its correlation with aortic valve calcium score in former group. Fifty-two patients with and 52 subjects without aortic valve calcification underwent coronary MSCT using two 64-slice and a dual-source 256-slice CT scanners. Aortic root dimensions were measured in both systolic and diastolic phases. Changes in annular maximum diameter (D_max), minimum diameter (D_min), cross sectional area and perimeter, three diameters of sinuses of Valsalva (V_a, V_b and V_c), sinotubular junction maximum (STJ_max) and minimum (STJ_min) diameters between systolic and diastolic phases (systole minus diastole) were −0.59 mm, −0.05 mm, −2.53 mm², −1.48 mm, +0.91 mm, +1.08 mm, +0.42 mm, +0.63 mm, +0.40 mm and in those without aortic calcification –0.33 mm, 0.00 mm, −6.92 mm², −0.41 mm, +0.30 mm, +0.38 mm, +0.61 mm, +0.33 mm, +0.20 mm in patients with aortic calcification, respectively. Apart from two diameters in sinuses of Valsalva (V_a and V_b), changes in all other diameters of aortic root during cardiac cycle were not significantly different between the two groups. Furthermore, in patients with aortic calcification, no significant correlation was detected between changes in nearly all aortic root dimensions during cardiac cycle and aortic valve calcium score or location of calcification (annular, commissural or both).