Comparison between four-slice computed tomography and coronary angiography for the assessment of coronary stents.

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of four-slice computed tomography for the detection, localization and patency assessment of metal coronary stents in a general population referred for coronary angiography late after coronary angioplasty.

Methods: Twenty-four consecutive patients with 34 coronary stents underwent multislice computed tomography within 24 h before a clinically driven coronary angiography performed 245 +/- 92 days after coronary stent implantation. For each patient, two independent operators were asked to evaluate the overall number of stents, the treated coronary vessels and segments, the presence of side-branches in the stented segment, the vessel patency, and the presence of binary in-stent restenosis.