Objective:To investigate the coronary artery anomalies(CAA)by computed tomography angiography(CTA)

and then to analyze the correlation between the anomalous origin of coronary artery and the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. Methods:The prevalence of the CAA in 8 360 patients receiving CTA examination were retrospectively analyzed. Seventy-eight patients with normal origin of coronary artery were enrolled;the incidence of atherosclerotic plaque in the same branch was compared between patients with normal origin of coronary artery and those without. In the patients with anomalous origin of coronary artery

the incidence of atherosclerotic plaque was compared between the patients with and without high-risk anatomical features. Results:Totally 98 cases were found with the CAA among the 8 360 patients

including 78 cases of anomalous origin

8 cases of number variation

4 cases of anomalies of coronary termination

and 8 cases of structural variation. When left circumflex artery arose from the left coronary sinus(n=6)

the incidence of the atherosclerotic plaque locating in the left coronary sinus(60.00%)was higher than that in the normal group(16.67%)

with statistical significances(P=0.006). For the patients with an anomalous origin of the coronary artery

there was no statis tical difference in the incidence of the atherosclerotic plaque between the patients with and without high-risk anatomical feature(n=31

39.74% and n=47

60.26% respectively)(P=0.201). Conclusion:The anomalous origin of coronary artery is the most common type of the CAA. Among various types of anomalous origin of the coronary artery

the left circumflex artery arising from the left coronary sinus ought to be a high-risk factor for the formation of plaque

which should attach great importance and be treated at the early stages.