Coronary atherosclerosis and its effect on cardiac structure and function: evaluation by electron beam computed tomography.
Coronary artery disease affects millions of Americans annually. In evaluating coronary artery disease, it is important to develop diagnostic methodology that can screen patients before the onset of symptoms or cardiac events and, in addition, evaluate the functional aspects of coronary artery disease, including any residual effects on the heart after events have occurred. Electron beam computed tomography allows the identification of coronary calcium, which is a marker for coronary atherosclerotic disease, and also allows the quantification of cardiac function, which may be altered from coronary atherosclerosis or the occurrence of a cardiac event. Thus, electron beam computed tomographic imaging is having a major impact on the diagnosis and follow-up on coronary artery disease.
Stanford
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Department of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA. william-stanford@uiowa.edu
Thompson
B H
BH
D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation