title: Comparison of image quality in contrast-enhanced coronary-artery visualization by electron beam tomography and retrospectively electrocardiogram-gated multislice spiral computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the image quality of electron beam tomography (EBT) and multislice spiral CT (MSCT) for coronary artery visualization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of 30 patients without coronary stenoses were studied by MSCT (4 x 1 mm collimation) or EBT (3 mm slice thickness). Contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), overall length of the visualized arteries and vessel length free of motion artifacts were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Length of visualized arteries was equal in MSCT and EBT. In EBT, longer segments were depicted free of motion artifacts (MSCT: 73%, EBT: 92% of visualized length, P< 0.001) and CNR was significantly higher than in MSCT (15.4 vs. 9.0; P< 0.001). In both modalities, vessel diameters correlated closely to quantitative coronary angiography.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EBT and MSCT permit reliable coronary artery visualization and measurement of vessel diameters. For the used scan protocol, MSCT images had a lower CNR and were more frequently affected by motion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine II, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany. stephan.achenbach@rzmail.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Achenbach
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giesler
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ropers
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ulzheimer
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Anders
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wenkel
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pohle
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kachelriess
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Derlien
authors.forename: Willi  A
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kalender
authors.forename: Werner G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bautz
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Baum
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media