Cardiac Computed Tomographic Angiography: Clinical Applications

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is the lead­ing cause of morbidity and mor­tality worldwide. Cardiac imaging plays an important role in diagnosis and risk stratification of various cardiac diseases. Cardiac computed tomography added a major diagnostic value and led to reducing the need for invasive cardiac measures in many cardiac conditions. Cardiac computed tomography has emerged as an accurate anatomic method for detection of coronary artery disease. The negative predictive value to exclude significant coronary artery stenosis approaches 100%. Advances in multidetector computed tomography technology improved coronary arteries imaging during a single breath hold in a wide range of coronary pathologies. Appropriate patient preparation, image acquisition, and post processing techniques to detect coronary artery stenosis and plaque are prerequisites to achieving diagnostic image quality. Cardiac computed tomography applications also include assessment of cardiac structure and function, post myocardial infarction complications, electro anatomical mapping, and delineation of the pericardium.