Prognostic value of CT coronary angiography in diabetes

Introduction: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) have a higher risk of cardiovascular events than those without the disease, and coronary artery disease (CAD) in diabetic patients is frequently silent. To maximize the effective treatment, it is important to objectively identify CAD in asymptomatic patients with DM in a noninvasive way as early as possible. In fact, risk stratification is essential for the development of evidence-based strategies for improved patient care. Multidetector CT coronary angiography has emerged as a noninvasive tool for the diagnosis of CAD that enables assessment of the vascular lumen together with the arterial wall. As a result, this technique allows accurate assessment of the presence or absence of CAD with sensitivity and negative predictive values that are near 100%; however, its prognostic role in diabetic patients remains to be determined.