Bjorn Flygenring

Publications (3)6.87 Total impact

• Article: Multidetector CT coronary angiography for patient triage to invasive coronary angiography: Performance and cost in ambulatory patients with equivocal or suspected inaccurate noninvasive stress tests.

  Madhav Menon, John R Lesser, Hidehiko Hara, Richard Birkett, Thomas Knickelbine, Terry Longe, Bjorn Flygenring, Jason Henry, Robert Schwartz
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  ABSTRACT: Multidetector-CT angiography (MDCTA) differs from noninvasive stress tests by directly imaging coronary anatomy. The utility of MDCTA for invasive triage is undefined however. We evaluated MDCTA triage to invasive coronary angiography in outpatients with indeterminate or suspected inaccurate stress tests, and estimated cost savings by MDCTA in this role. Consecutive MDCTA patients were retrospectively compared with noninvasive stress tests if performed within 6 months of MDCTA. Twelve-month clinical follow up was obtained for patients not undergoing invasive angiography, and cost using MDCTA for triage to invasive coronary angiography was calculated. MDCTA was performed in 385 patients who had noninvasive stress testing. Stress tests include included treadmill (n = 37), stress echo (n = 178), and nuclear perfusion imaging (n = 170). Invasive angiography was performed in 57 (14.8%). MDCTA compared to CA showed positive and negative predictive values of 94%/100% respectively for lesions found by invasive QCA. Stress testing compared to MDCTA showed positive/negative predictive values of 100%/67% for treadmill exercise, 60%/54% for stress echo, and 59%/55% of nuclear perfusion examinations respectively. One year clinical follow up in 314 patients showed no coronary events in 98% (309) of patients. Triage to invasive angiography by MDCTA showed a 4-fold cost reduction. MDCTA shows excellent performance as a triage for invasive angiography in patients with stress tests that are equivocal or thought inaccurate. A negative CTA confers good 12-month prognosis. Substantial cost savings may accrue using MDCTA in this triage role.
  Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions 04/2009; 73(4):497-502. · 2.29 Impact Factor
• Article: Multidetector CT coronary angiography: where we are, and where we are going...

  Jamie M Pelzel, John R Lesser, Thomas Knickelbine, Bjorn Flygenring, George Tadros, Robert S Schwartz
  Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions 03/2007; 69(2):159-71. · 2.29 Impact Factor
• Article: Clinical utility of coronary CT angiography: coronary stenosis detection and prognosis in ambulatory patients.

  John R Lesser, Bjorn Flygenring, Thomas Knickelbine, Hidehiko Hara, Jason Henry, Ayesha Kalil, Kimberly Pelak, Jana Lindberg, Jamie Pelzel, Robert S Schwartz
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  ABSTRACT: Multislice CT coronary angiography (MSCTA) accurately detects stenosis in patients undergoing coronary arteriography, but its accuracy in clinical outpatients is less certain. This study retrospectively analyzed MSCTA performance in a large outpatient cohort and examined 6-month clinical follow-up in those without invasive CA. Patients underwent MSCTA for clinical indications including symptoms or noninvasive results being either equivocal or suspected as incorrect by referring clinicians. Standard 16-slice CT scanner techniques were used, and results were analyzed on the basis of both patient and vessel. Patients were treated medically or sent to invasive angiography on the basis of MSCTA results and judgment of referring clinicians. All invasive angiograms were analyzed using quantitative coronary angiography. Six-month clinical follow-up was determined in patients without CA. One thousand fifty-three consecutive patients were referred for MSCTA, resulting in 994 interpretable scans. Mean age was 58+/-13 years, 55% were male, 50% had prior noninvasive testing, and 90% had symptoms. Invasive angiography was performed in 160 patients, with significant stenoses present in 69%. MSCTA demonstrated 87% and 89% accuracy by patient- and vessel-based analysis, respectively, and was most accurate in the left main and right coronary arteries. Only two patients not referred for angiography had significant stenosis in those undergoing 6-month follow-up. MSCTA accurately detects obstructive coronary stenosis in clinical patients with possible cardiac symptoms, and effectively triages them for invasive angiography. Negative results are highly accurate in ruling out obstructive disease. Six-month prognosis is excellent in patients without significant disease determined by MSCT.
  Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions 02/2007; 69(1):64-72. · 2.29 Impact Factor