Optimization of radiation dose reduction in cardiac computed tomographic angiography

Cardiac computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) has evolved at an unprecedented pace over the past decade, during which time it has proven to be an accurate and effective tool for imaging of the heart in a growing list of clinical applications. However, the rapid growth in the use of CT imaging in general has prompted appropriate concerns regarding increasing medical radiation exposure to patients, particularly with regard to potential long-term risks of radiation-induced malignancy on both individual and population levels. As with all medical imaging modalities, imaging the heart with CCTA should be performed in a manner that achieves diagnostic image quality while maintaining patient radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable (As Low As Reasonably Achievable [ALARA] principle). The goal of this article is to provide the reader with a wide-ranging review of both primary and secondary techniques that are currently available to minimize patient radiation exposure. Some of the techniques described in this article are universal, whereas others may be scanner specific. By gaining a thorough understanding of the various tools and methodologies employed for reduction of radiation exposure, the cardiac imager should be able to formulate CCTA protocols appropriate for their equipment and their clinical applications, in a manner that optimally preserves diagnostic image quality and minimizes patient radiation dose.