New technical trends in coronary laboratories

Increasing experience and improvement of the techniques used in coronary angiography and left ventriculography, have advanced patient safety and the proper assessment of coronary heart disease. High-resolution image intensifiers, coupled with the use of 50 or 25 frames-per-second cinematography or 100 mm spot film technique, offer diverse possibilities for optimal documentation of the morphologic findings. For an evaluation of both hemodynamics and cinematography, computer-assisted units increasingly simplify work and offer greater safety in procedures that assess ventricular function.