Cardiac CT and CT coronary angiography: technology and application

Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) is an additional potential tool for the assessment of coronary artery disease. It can provide information about stenoses in coronary arteries and coronary artery bypass grafts, ventricular size and function, cardiac structure and masses, pulmonary vein anatomy, myocardial perfusion and coronary artery plaque. In this review the recent developments in CT technology that have made cardiac imaging possible are examined and the benefits of the latest 64-slice and dual-source CT scanners explained. Information on how to perform cardiac CT and evidence for its various clinical applications are given. Problems and limitations of cardiac CT and the radiation dose are discussed. Future developments and the likely impact of this rapidly evolving technique on clinical cardiology are considered.