title: Endoluminal perspective volume rendering of coronary arteries using electron-beam computed tomography.
abstract: Remarkable progress has been made in the treatment of coronary heart diseases because of a variety of new interventional devices, but as each new device or procedure has suitability for a particular type of patient or purpose, patient selection is increasingly important. Endoluminal perspective volume renderings of the coronary arteries of a 70-year-old male with old myocardial infarction and recurrent chest pain were carried out using electron-beam computed tomography. Conventional coronary angiography had revealed significant stenosis of the distal portion of the left anterior descending branch, and subsequent conventional balloon angioplasty had failed to expand the stenotic site. Perspective volume rendering images can distinguish differences in objects and evaluate the cross sectional area of the lumen and the morphology of calcification. In the present patient, a huge mass of calcified plaque occupied most of the lumen at a site corresponding to the angiographic site of stenosis. According to this finding, rotational atherectomy was indicated and had a good outcome. The qualitative information for characterizing and determining the morphology of atherosclerotic plaque provided by perspective volume rendering may be useful in selecting the appropriate intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular, Science and Medicine, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine (M4), Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobusada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Funabashi
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Misumi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Issei
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Komuro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017073:Atherectomy; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D002637:Chest Pain; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome