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Objective: We aimed to assess the prevalence of non-calcified plaque (NCP) on computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. In addition, we seek to compare plaque assessment on CCTA with intravascular ultrasound–virtual histology (IVUS-VH) and to assess the prognostic value of non-calcified plaques (NCPs). Background: The CCTA can characterize coronary plaques and help quantify burden. Furthermore, it can provide additional prognostic information which can enable further risk stratification of patients. Methods: We performed a broad comprehensive review of the current literature pertaining to CCTA and primarily isolated NCP in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. In addition, our review included studies correlating plaque on CT with IVUS-VH. Conclusions: NCP is the initial precursor of calcified plaque and serves as a prominent marker of early coronary atherosclerosis. By detecting NCP during early stages, several measures can be implemented which can alter the evolutionary course of the underlying disease. This can potentially lead to a lower incidence of cardiovascular events.

We analyzed 54 cases of cardiac myxoma (n = 40) and non-myxoma (n = 14) diagnosed at a single community-based tertiary care center over 20 years. The data were retrospectively collected for patients between the period January 2000 and September 2020 from the hospital database. We described patient characteristics and clinical features of cardiac myxoma. In patients with diagnosis of cardiac myxoma, the median age was 64 years (range 41–78), with 58% females. Cardiac myxoma patients presented in a variety of ways, as dyspnea (42%), palpitations (20%), and chest pain (15%). Transesophageal echocardiogram was performed in 82.5% of patients. Chest computed tomography (CT) was performed in 32.5%, while cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) was performed in 10%. Ischemic evaluation was performed in the majority of patients, primarily having cardiac catheterization. All cardiac myxomas were a single mass and the most common location was the left atrium (n = 34, 85%), followed by the right atrium (n = 6, 15%). 33 (83%) of them were larger than 2 cm. We differentiated cardiac myxoma from non-myxoma mass, which was most commonly a thrombus by histopathology. More patients with cardiac myxoma underwent surgical resection and required hospital and ICU stay than non-myxoma patients. No patients in either group experienced inpatient mortality or a mass recurrence with a median follow-up period of 2 years.