Computed Tomography

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) has become a primary cardiovascular imaging modality in the past 20 years, and was recommended as a 1A recommendation in the 2021 chest pain assessment guidelines. CT calcium scoring has became a primary risk assessment for coronary artery disease and whether patients should be on statins. Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is used to for anatomical assessment of the arteries for plaque burden and to identify areas of blockage that may cause ischemia and heart attacks. Additional use of contrast CT perfusion or fractional flow reserve CT (FFR-CT) can offer physiological information on the function of the heart. CT plays a primary role in structural heart assessments for heart valves, repair of congenital defects and left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) for both pre-procedure planning and procedural guidance. Find more news on general radiology CT use.

Leslee Shaw, PhD, and former presidents of both SCCT and ASNC discusses the role of CT and FFR-CT in the 2021 chest pain guidelines.

VIDEO: Cardiac CT now recommended as a front-line chest pain assessment tool

Leslee Shaw, PhD, director of the Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and former president of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC), explains the role of cardiac computed tomography (CT) in the recent 2021 chest pain guidelines.

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Risks of stroke and heart attack increase with larger thoracic aortic diameter, research shows

Results from multi-detector CT scans revealed that women in particular appeared to be more susceptible to faster deterioration of the aging aorta.

A cardiac CT scan being performed on a Cardiograph dedicated cardiac CT scanner at a Duly Health and Care outpatient clinic. Photo by Dave Fornell

VIDEO: Office-based cardiac CT and FFR-CT offer a new business model

In a new video, Evans Pap­pas, MD, and Sujith Kalathiveetil, MD, both of Duly Health and Care in suburban Chicago, explain the shift toward office-based cardiac CT evaluations and the role of FFR-CT. 

New-look imaging technique could change the way we see blood vessels

The new method, still being tested with mouse models, could help clinicians see blood vessels with improved clarity. 

An example of a noninvasive coronary CT scan on the left and an invasive angiogram of the same patient on the right from a recent RSNA study. The CT shows more information on the calcified nature of the plaque and shows more anatomical information beyond what the angiogram provides.

CT a low-risk imaging alternative to invasive coronary angiography for suspected CAD

The new analysis focused on data from 16 different European countries. 

RSNA21: Deep learning automatically labels coronary arteries to produce structured CCTA reports

The algorithm yielded a 94.4% accuracy for labeling arteries in accordance with the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography guidelines.

chest pain lung pulmonary embolism

Imaging group says new guidelines for chest pain contain some ‘troubling recommendations’

The update is meant to help clinicians improve outcomes while reducing costs, but one advocate says certain imaging suggestions may cause unanticipated harm.

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‘A watershed moment’: HeartFlow praises new chest pain guidelines

The company showed its support for the guidelines in a new statement.