CLINICAL USES OF MULTI-DETECTOR CARDIAC CT AND INCIDENTAL EXTRA CARDIAC FINDINGS IN PATIENTS WITH CHEST PAIN

Abstract

Selective coronary angiography remains the gold standard for assessment of coronary artery anatomy, as it has high spatial and temporal resolution but it’s invasive, expensive and associated with morbidity and mortality.

CCTA has emerged as an accurate fast robust and non invasive tool for assessment of coronary vessels in low and intermediate risk patients. It’s not just a luminography, but comprehensive evaluation of (luminal changes, wall morphology and plaque characterization), diagnose complicated coronary artery variation, difficult catheterization, high risk catheterization, aorto-ostial lesions , aortic and coronary artery dissection , follow up bypass graft and stents , and cases in which ostia could not be cannulated .

MSCT-CA is able to demonstrate the morphology of the heart (ventricles, inter-ventricular septum and walls of the heart). It can aid in functional analysis of the heart (Ejection fraction, cardiac output, end systolic volume and end diastolic volume), asses function of the artificial valves, with additional ability to evaluate the location of great vessels in relation to the heart using the 3D volume rendering