Aim: Comparison of the diagnostic value of cinefluoroscopy and simple fluoroscopy in the detection of calcification in coronary arteries.
Patients and methods: Data were prospectively obtained from 143 patients in whom simple fluoroscopy as well as cinecoronary arteriography were performed. Excluded were patients with a previous myocardial infarction, a previous abnormal cinecoronary arteriogram and patients with unstable angina. With the coronary arteriogram as the gold standard, the likelihood ratios (LR) of simple fluoroscopy were determined, mismatches with cinefluoroscopy were analysed and Kappa, as a measure for inter-test agreement, was calculated.
Results: The LRs with 95% confidence intervals for a positive and negative result were 5.3 (2.6-11.0) and 0.43 (0.28-0.69), respectively. There was a mismatch in 12 (8.3%) patients. Kappa with a 95% confidence interval was 0.90 (0.73-1.0).
Conclusions: Both test modalities are almost identical and conclusions with respect of the diagnostic value of cinefluoroscopy also holds for simple fluoroscopy.