title: Cardiothoracic CT angiography: current contrast medium delivery strategies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Over the last decade, rapid technologic evolution in CT has resulted in improved spatial and temporal resolution and acquisition speed, enabling cardiothoracic CT angiography to become a viable and effective noninvasive alternative in the diagnostic algorithm. These new technologic advances have imposed new challenges for the optimization of contrast medium delivery and image acquisition strategies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thorough understanding of contrast medium dynamics is essential for the design of effective acquisition and injection protocols. This article provides an overview of the fundamentals affecting contrast enhancement, emphasizing the modifications to contrast material delivery protocols required to optimize cardiothoracic CT angiography.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, 29401, USA. weininge@musc.edu
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weininger
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Barraza
authors.forename: Corey A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kemper
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kalafut
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: U Joseph
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Schoepf
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media