Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Imaging In-Stent Restenosis: An Inexpensive, Reliable, and Rapid Preclinical Model
Published on: September 14, 2009
In vitro imaging of coronary artery stents: are there differences between 16- and 64-slice CT scanners?
Florian Wolf1, Gudrun M Feuchtner, Peter Homolka
1Medical University of Vienna, Department of Radiology, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. florian.wolf@meduniwien.ac.at
Purpose:
To compare the performance of 64-slice with 16-slice CT scanners for the in vitro evaluation of coronary artery stents.
Methods And Materials:
Twelve different coronary artery stents were placed in the drillings of a combined heart and chest phantom, which was scanned with a 16- and 64-slice CT scanner. Coronal reformations were evaluated for artificial lumen narrowing, intraluminal attenuation values, and false widening of the outer stent diameter as an indicator of artifacts outside the stent.
Results:
Mean artificial lumen narrowing was not significantly different between the 16- and 64-slice CT scanner (44% versus 39%; p=0.408). The differences between the Hounsfield Units (HU) measurements inside and outside the stents were significantly lower (p=0.001) with 64- compared to 16-slice CT. The standard deviation of the HU measurements inside the stents was significantly (p=0.002) lower with 64- than with 16-slice CT. Artifacts outside the stents were not significantly different between the scanners (p=0.866).
Conclusion:
Visualization of the in-stent lumen is improved with 64-slice CT when compared with 16-slice CT as quantified by significantly lesser intraluminal image noise and less artificial rise in intraluminal HU measurement, which is the most important parameter for the evaluation of stent patency in vivo.
Related Concept Videos
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System V: CT
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
Imaging Studies I: CT and MRI
Description of the Procedures
Computed Tomography (CT) scan:
Computed Tomography (CT) scans use X-ray technology to generate detailed images of bones, organs, and tissues. During the scan, the patient lies on a moving table...
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System IV: CMRI
Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
