FIELD: medicine.SUBSTANCE: method for determining a perivascular water index (PVWi) of a blood vessel includes: (i) using data collected from a computed tomography scan along the length of the vessel to determine the total volume of water voxels within the attenuation window around the attenuation for water within the perivascular space at a predetermined distance from the outer wall of the vessel and (ii) correcting the total volume of water voxels by the volume of the vessel by dividing the total volume of water voxels determined at stage (i) by the total perivascular volume. The perivascular water index (PVWi) is used as a functional biological marker of vascular inflammation. A method for predicting the risk of mortality or risk in a patient suffering from a cardiac event includes: (a) using data collected from a computed tomography (CT) scan along the length of a blood vessel to determine: (i) a calcium index (Calcium-i) and/or (ii) a fibrous plaque index (FPi) and at least one of (iii) a fat attenuation index in perivascular adipose tissue (FAIPVAT); (iv) a perivascular water index (PVWi) and/or (v) a fat attenuation index in epicardial adipose tissue (FAIEpAT); and (b) comparing each of values determined in (a) with a predetermined separation value or applying the absolute value of each variable to obtain an output value that indicates the risk that the patient suffers from a cardiac event.EFFECT: use of this group of inventions will allow non-invasive detection of vascular inflammation and will provide the possibility to identify patients who are at risk of suffering from serious cardiac events.26 cl, 9 dwg, 4 tbl, 1 ex
PERIVASCULAR WATER INDEX AND ITS APPLICATION FOR PREDICTING ALL-CAUSE MORTALITY OR MORTALITY FROM CARDIAC EVENTS