[Cardiac CT: technical considerations]

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Cardiovascular Technology

Background:

• Cardiac and coronary imaging advancements are driven by evolving scanner technology, software, and post-processing tools.
• Multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) systems, acquiring ≥64 slices, now offer robust morphological and functional cardiac imaging capabilities.
• Cardiac CT presents unique challenges due to the heart's continuous motion, necessitating constant adaptation of acquisition protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize the current state of cardiac CT technology.
• To provide expert consensus on technical aspects of cardiac CT imaging.
• To highlight strategies for radiation dose reduction in cardiac CT.

Main Methods:

• Review of current multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) technology for cardiac imaging.
• Expert consensus on patient selection, medication, and contrast enhancement protocols.
• Discussion of acquisition, reconstruction, display, and analysis techniques for cardiac CT.
• Emphasis on radiation dose optimization and reduction strategies.

Main Results:

• Recent MDCT generations facilitate comprehensive cardiac imaging.
• Technical challenges in cardiac CT require protocol adaptation.
• Comprehensive review covers all technical aspects from patient preparation to image analysis.
• Significant focus is placed on minimizing radiation exposure.

Conclusions:

• Current MDCT technology supports robust cardiac and coronary imaging.
• Expert consensus guides technical implementation and optimization of cardiac CT.
• Minimizing radiation dose is a critical consideration in cardiac CT procedures.