Non-invasive coronary angiography with multi-detector computed tomography: comparison to conventional X-ray angiography.
Selective coronary angiography introduced clinical coronary imaging in the late 1950s. The angiographic identification of high-grade coronary lesions in patients with acute and chronic symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) led to the development of surgical and percutaneous coronary revascularization. However, the fact that CAD remains the major cause of death in North America and Europe demonstrates the need for novel, complementary diagnostic strategies. These are driven by the need to characterize both increasingly advanced disease stages but also early, asymptomatic disease development. Complex revascularization techniques for patients with advanced disease stages will initiate a growing demand for 3-dimensional coronary imaging and integration of imaging modalities with new mechanical therapeutic devices. An emerging focus is atherosclerosis imaging with the goal to identify subclinical disease stages as the basis for pharmacological intervention aimed at disease stabilization or reversal. Non-invasive coronary imaging with coronary multidetector computed tomographic angiography (MDCTA) allows both assessment of luminal stenosis and subclinical disease of the arterial wall. Its complementary role in the assessment of early and advanced stages of CAD is increasingly recognized.
Schoenhagen
Paul
P
Department of Radiology, Center for Integrated Non-Invasive Cardiovascular Imaging, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. schoenpl@ccf.org
Stillman
Arthur E
AE
Halliburton
Sandy S
SS
Kuzmiak
Stacie A
SA
Painter
Tracy
T
White
Richard D
RD
D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media