This article is designed to provide the reader information about the technical details of retrospective ECQ-gated spiral 4SCT and its applications for the detection and quantification of coronary artery calcification, the detection of coronary artery stenoses, and the characterization of coronary atherosclerotic plaques.
Multidetector-row computed tomography (CT) is the most recent development of third-generation rotational CT scanners. The detector configuration of most commercially available CT scanners currently allows acquisition of four slices in a single gantry rotation (4SCT). Combining this technology with continuous gantry rotation and table feed results in reduced scan time, greater scan coverage, and improved spatial resolution.
The advantage of 4SCT acquisition has become apparent for many different applications. Musculo-skeletal investigations benefit most from improved z-axis resolution by reconstruction of near isotropic images in any projectional plane. The ability to perform a study of the abdominal aorta, and the iliac, femoral, and crural arteries in a single acquisition now can be achieved with 4SCT [1]. Imaging vessel territories, such as the carotid, mesenteric, and renal arteries, with high spatial resolution also provides new diagnostic opportunities [2].
Investigation of the coronary arteries is a major challenge for CT because of the small tortuous vessels, which are subjected to continuous cardiac movement. The overall reduction in scan and exposure time with 4SCT now allows coverage of the entire heart and coronary artery tree in the slow motion phase with thin slices and within a reasonable acquisition time.
This article is designed to provide the reader information about the technical details of retrospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated spiral 4SCT and its applications for the detection and quantification of coronary artery calcification, the detection of coronary artery stenoses, and the characterization of coronary atherosclerotic plaques.