title: The Essentials of Cardiac Computerized Tomography.
abstract: Cardiac computerized tomography (CT) has evolved from a research tool to an important diagnostic investigation in cardiology, and is now recommended in European, US, and UK guidelines. This review is designed to give the reader an overview of the current state of cardiac CT. The role of cardiac CT is multifaceted, and includes risk stratification, disease detection, coronary plaque quantification, defining congenital heart disease, planning for structural intervention, and, more recently, assessment of ischemia. This paper addresses basic principles as well as newer evidence.
authors.affiliation: Ulster Hospital, Belfast, UK. mckavanagh@doctors.org.uk.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McKavanagh
authors.affiliation: Ulster Hospital, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walls
authors.affiliation: Ulster Hospital, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McCune
authors.affiliation: Ulster Hospital, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Jonathon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malloy
authors.affiliation: Ulster Hospital, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Harbinson
authors.affiliation: Ulster Hospital, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.affiliation: Ulster Hospital, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Donnelly
keywords: Calcium score; Cardiac computerized tomography; Computerized tomography coronary angiography; Plaque characteristic analysis