Ultrafast computed tomography

Ultrafast computed tomography is a developing cardiac imaging modality that can provide high temporal and spatial resolution images of the beating heart in the outpatient setting. The three-dimensional registration of these images has facilitated numerous studies showing this device to be capable of quantitating cardiac anatomy, cardiac function, and cardiac blood flow. During the past 1 to 2 years, these applications have extended into definition of right ventricular muscle mass, cardiac sources for embolization, and the possibility of diagnosing asymptomatic coronary artery disease through visualization of discrete coronary artery calcification. With respect to cardiac functional analysis, studies now suggest the application of exercise ergometry and ultrafast computed tomography imaging to define the physiologic significance of coronary stenoses. Studies involving the adaptation of indicator dilution methods to ultrafast computed tomography to quantitate regional myocardial perfusion continue to suggest this as a potential tool in the noninvasive quantitation of regional myocardial perfusion. The major limitation of this method is its availability, at present, in only a select number of major medical centers throughout the world.