[New ways of imaging diagnosis of the heart with electron beam tomography].
Electron beam computed tomography is a noninvasive imaging tool for diagnosing heart disease. The method offers new insights into coronary heart disease, because the quantification of coronary artery calcification provides a fast, low-risk and cost efficient estimation of coronary risk with greater prognostic power than traditional risk estimates. With intravenous administration of an x-ray contrast agent, EBCT can detect coronary artery stenoses more accurately than other noninvasive methods. The quantification of myocardial blood flow by EBCT represents a realistic alternative to other methods of assessing myocardial perfusion. High temporal resolution allows for detailed analysis of cardiac dynamics. Other applications include the work-up of cardiac masses, pericardial disease, and investigations of the great vessels. As a dedicated cardiac imaging tool, EBCT provides new insights into cardiac physiology and disease, and offers a quantitative approach to many diagnostic problems. Limited availability, radiation exposure, and the need for a iodinated contrast agent still make EBCT an accessory modality at this time.
Knollmann
F D
FD
Strahlenklinik Charité, Berlin. Friedrich.Knollmann@RZ.HU-Berlin.de
Felix
R
R
D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006338:Heart Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006393:Hemangiopericytoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed