Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography (CTCA) is used to visualize the coronary arteries of the heart and assess for possible stenosis or blockages. It is a non-invasive examination and provides a clear and accurate picture of the coronary arteries and blood flow. It can integrate the image of the heart in real time and diagnose stenosis even when there are no indications for other methods (such as catheter angiography).
CTCA is recommended for various cardiac diseases or conditions where the diagnosis of coronary disease is uncertain or needs confirmation. These are:
- Evaluation of Coronary Disease (Stenosis or blockages in the coronary arteries): Helps to identify stenosis and determine their severity, allowing for early diagnosis and appropriate therapeutic intervention (e.g., medication or surgery).
- Evaluation of acute chest pain when there is doubt about the cause of the pain, in order to exclude coronary artery disease as the cause of the pain and to assess whether there is a cardiovascular blockage or other cardiac problems.
- As a preoperative test for patients who are going to undergo coronary angioplasty or coronary bypass surgery so that the doctor who will perform the surgery has an idea of the anatomy of the coronary arteries and can make a better plan.
- To evaluate other cardiovascular diseases, such as cardiomyopathy, heart failure and aortic dilation, if there is doubt about the cause of the symptoms.
- Evaluation in high-risk patients, so that early detection of possible cardiovascular complications can be made and preventive measures can be taken.
Contraindications
Coronary CT is not suitable for patients with severe renal failure or pregnant women due to the radiation used.
How is a coronary CT performed?
A coronary CT is performed on a special high-speed CT scanner with a higher scanning speed to avoid catching the rapid heart rate, so that clear images of the coronary arteries can be obtained.
A coronary CT requires the use of lower radiation and specialized image quality control techniques, as the heart is constantly moving. Also, intravenous administration of a contrast agent is often necessary to show blood flow and stenosis. CT scanners used for cardiac imaging have special software and image processing capabilities to address the challenges of moving heart tissue and to provide high image quality, which is required for analysis of the coronary arteries.
