title: Comprehensive CT cardiothoracic imaging: a new challenge for chest imaging.
abstract: In the past, thoracic and cardiac imaging were two distinct specialties of radiology. The technical evolution, however, has changed their boundaries with an important impact on CT imaging practices and has opened the new era of "cardiothoracic" imaging, due to the strong anatomic, mechanical, physiologic, physiopathologic, and therapeutic cardiopulmonary correlations. Modern thoracic radiologists can no longer avoid the assessment of heart and coronary arteries, as they used to do with earlier generations of CT scanner. The advent of ECG gating and state-of-art CT scanner faster rotation speed, high spatial and temporal resolution, high-pitch mode, shorter acquisition time, and dedicated cardiac reconstruction algorithms has opened new possibilities for chest imaging, integrating cardiac morphologic and even functional information within a diagnostic chest CT scan. The aim of this review is to briefly show and summarize the concept of integrated cardiothoracic imaging, which redefines the boundaries of chest CT imaging, opening the door to a new radiologic specialty.
authors: Department of Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: riccardo.marano@rm.unicatt.it.
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Marano
authors: Department of Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Pirro
authors: Department of Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Silvestri
authors: Department of Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Biagio
authors: B
authors: Merlino
authors: Department of Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Giancarlo
authors: G
authors: Savino
authors: Department of Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Rutigliano
authors: Department of Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Agostino
authors: A
authors: Meduri
authors: Department of Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Natale
authors: Department of Radiological Sciences, Institute of Radiology, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Bonomo
mesh_terms: D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000639:trends; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000639:trends*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000639:trends*