[Diagnostic imaging in cardiac diagnosis].
OBJECTIVE
Cardiac imaging includes determination of the size and structure of the cardiac chambers, valves, great vessels and the coronary arteries, chamber and valvular function, myocardial perfusion, viability and metabolism.


METHODS
Chest roentgenography, angiography, echocardiography and nuclear imaging are commonly used but computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging also offer a promising potential.


RESULTS
Coronary angiography is the gold standard in assessing coronary anatomy. Fast CT technologies such as electron-beam and multi-low-CT are promising non-invasive imaging modalities in the assessment of coronary artery disease. With intravascular ultrasound early stages of coronary atherosclerosis can be detected. For the assessment of myocardial perfusion and viability as well as cardiac function, scintigraphic methods are widely accepted. However, MRI methods have also reached a high degree of accuracy. Evaluation of chamber and valvular function is, due to its wide availability, the field of echocardiography.


CONCLUSIONS
In clinical routine chest roentgenography, angiography, echocardiography and nuclear imaging are well established. The value of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of coronary artery disease, myocardial perfusion, viability and metabolism is yet to be defined.
Knez
A
A
Medizinische Klinik I, Klinikum Grosshadern, Universität München. Knez@md1.med.uni-muenchen.de
Becker
C
C
Becker
A
A
Leber
A
A
Haberl
R
R
Reiser
M
M
Steinbeck
G
G
D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity