CT of the Heart, Principles and Applications

The introduction of fast ECG-synchronized computed tomography (CT) techniques enables imaging of the heart with a combination of speed and spatial resolution unparalleled by other noninvasive imaging modalities. Applying these modalities for the evaluation of coronary artery disease is a topic of active current research. Coronary artery calcium measurements are investigated as a marker for cardiac risk stratification. With contrast-enhanced CT coronary angiography, coronary arteries can be visualized with unprecedented detail, so that noninvasive stenosis assessment appears within reach. With increasing accuracy CT enables evaluation of coronary artery bypass grafts and stents. The cross-sectional nature of CT may to some degree allow noninvasive assessment of the coronary artery wall. CT for evaluating cardiac perfusion, motion, and viability is being investigated. In CT of the Heart, leading radiologists, cardiologists, physicists, engineers, and basic and clinical scientists from around the world survey the full scope of current developments, research, and scientific controversy regarding principles and applications of cardiac CT. Richly illustrated with numerous black-and-white and color images, the book discusses the interpretation of CT of the heart in a variety of clinical, physiologic, and pathologic applications. The authors emphasize current state-of-the-art uses of computed tomography, but also examine emerging developments at the horizon. They review the technical basis of CT image acquisition as well as the tools for image visualization and analysis. Meticulous and comprehensive, CT of the Heart authoritatively defines the current status of computed tomography of the heart, offering a truly balanced view of its technology, applications, significance, and future potential.