Radiation exposure and coronary artery calcium scans in the society for heart attack prevention and eradication cohort.

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring is used in asymptomatic patients to improve their clinically predicted risk for future cardiovascular events. Current CT protocols seek to reduce radiation exposure without diminishing image quality. Reported radiation exposure remains widely variable (0.8-5 mSv) depending on the type of protocol. In this study, we report the radiation exposure of CAC scoring from the Society for Heart Attack Prevention and Eradication (SHAPE) early detection program cohort sites, which spanned multiple centers using 64-MDCT (multi-detector computed tomography) scanners. We reviewed radiation exposure in milliSieverts (mSv) for 82,214 participants from the SHAPE early detection program cohort who underwent CAC scoring. This occurred over a 2.5-year period (2012-2014) divided among 33 sites in 7 countries with four different types 64-MDCT scanners. The effective radiation dose was reported as mSv. Mean radiation dosing amongst all 82,214 participants was 1.03 mSv, a median dose of 0.94 mSv. The mean radiation dose ranged from 0.76 to 1.31 mSv across the 33 sites involved with the SHAPE program cohort. Subgroup analysis by age, gender or body mass index (BMI) less than 30 kg/m2 showed no variability. Radiation dose in patients with BMI > 30 kg/m2 were significantly greater than other subgroups (µ = 1.96 mSv, p < 0.001). The use of 64-MDCT scanners and protocols provide the effective radiation dose for CAC scoring, which is approximately 1 mSv. This is consistently lower than previously reported for CAC scanning, regardless of scanner type, age or gender. In contrast, a greater BMI influenced mean radiation doses.