The Potential Impact of Functional Imaging on Decision Making and Outcome in Patients Undergoing Surgical Revascularization.

Objective: Coronary angiography (CA) remains the standard for preoperative planning for surgical revascularization. However, besides anatomical imaging, current guidelines recommend additional functional imaging before a therapy decision is made. We assess the impact of functional imaging on the strategy of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with particular regards on postoperative patency and myocardial perfusion.

Predictors of image quality in high-pitch coronary CT angiography.

Objective: High-pitch coronary CT angiography (CTA) shows an alternative coronary CTA protocol to retrospectively ECG-gated imaging that is associated with a significantly lower radiation exposure. Yet, the diagnostic quality of high-pitch coronary CTA cannot be sufficiently predicted on the basis of heart rate (HR) alone. Thus, we sought to prospectively identify the predictors of diagnostic high-pitch coronary CTA.

Maximum diameter measurements of aortic aneurysms on axial CT images after endovascular aneurysm repair: sufficient for follow-up?

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of maximum diameter measurements of aortic aneurysms after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) on axial computed tomographic (CT) images in comparison to maximum diameter measurements perpendicular to the intravascular centerline for follow-up by using three-dimensional (3D) volume measurements as the reference standard.

Materials And Methods: Forty-nine consecutive patients (73 ± 7.5 years, range 51-88 years), who underwent EVAR of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm were retrospectively included.

High-pitch dual-source CT angiography of the aortic valve-aortic root complex without ECG-synchronization.

Purpose: To compare image quality and radiation dose of high-pitch computed tomography angiography(CTA) of the aortic valve-aortic root complex with and without prospective ECG-gating compared to a retrospectively ECG-gated standard-pitch acquisition.

Materials And Methods: 120 patients (mean age 68±13 years) were examined using a 128-slice dual-source CT system using prospectively ECG-gated high-pitch (group A; n=40), non-ECG-gated high-pitch (group B; n=40) or retrospectively ECG-gated standard-pitch (C; n=40) acquisition techniques. Image quality of the aortic root, valve and ascending aorta including the coronary ostia was assessed by two independent readers.