In vitro coronary artery imaging with sixteen-slice helical computed tomography.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the benefits of submillimeter coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography in vitro.


METHODS
The coronary arteries of three domestic pigs were filled with contrast agent and depicted with clinically applicable CT angiography protocols with a slice thickness of 0.63 to 2.5 mm.


RESULTS
With 2.5 mm slices, only the third-degree coronary artery branches could be discerned. With 1.25 mm slices, some fourth-degree branches of the right coronary artery could be discerned upon maximum intensity projections. With 0.63mm slices, fourth-degree coronary artery branches could be discerned in all locations.


CONCLUSIONS
The introduction of 16-row detector CT with submillimeter z-axis resolution translates into an order-of-magnitude benefit for the depiction of coronary artery branches.
Knollmann
F
F
Department of Radiology and Anesthesiology, Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Berlin, Germany. Friedrich.Knollmann@charite.de
Yankah
C A
CA
Kaisers
U
U
Felix
R
R
D000818:Animals; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D013552:Swine; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media