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[Angiography with multi-slice spiral CT. Detecting plaque, before it causes symptoms]
1Institut für klinische Radiologie, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. christoph.becker@ikra.med.uni-muenchen.de
MMW Fortschritte Der Medizin
|May 23, 2001
Summary
New cardiac CT imaging with ECG gating allows for detailed coronary artery assessment, detecting calcifications and non-calcified plaques. This technology aids in diagnosing coronary artery disease and guiding risk factor management in asymptomatic patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Radiology
- Medical Technology
Background:
- Motion artifacts often limit cardiac imaging.
- Early detection of coronary artery disease (CAD) is crucial for risk management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of advanced multi-slice spiral CT with ECG gating for cardiac imaging.
- To assess the capability of this technology in detecting coronary artery calcifications and non-calcified plaques.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a new generation of multi-slice spiral CT with a rapid imaging time of 1/4 second.
- Employed electrocardiogram (ECG) gating to minimize motion artifacts.
- Administered intravenous contrast medium to visualize non-calcified plaques.
Main Results:
- Successfully visualized coronary arteries with minimal motion artifacts.
- Detected coronary artery calcifications, indicative of CAD in at-risk patients.
- Visualized non-calcified plaques with contrast enhancement.
Conclusions:
- This advanced CT technique enables non-invasive investigation of coronary arteries.
- It is effective in detecting and excluding coronary artery disease, including calcified and non-calcified plaques.
- Patient heart rate should ideally be below 60 beats per minute for optimal imaging.