Evaluation of the coronary anomaly, fistula, aneurysm, and dissection

Abstract

In the last few years, multi-slice CT has become an alternative to catheter angiography. CTA is now the method of choice for detecting coronary arteries anomalies, fistulas, and aneurysms due to the 3D capability of this technique. Moreover, it is noninvasive, reproducible, and operator-independent. Especially in complex anomalies, if catheter angiography is not possible, multi-slice CT can accurately depict the anatomy of the heart and vessels. In contrast to catheter angiography, the thrombotic portion of aneurysms can be visualized with multislice CT. The new generation of CT scanners, with up to 64 slices, may improve image quality and resolution due to the smaller slice thickness and shorter breath-hold time. However, the ability of multi-slice CT to detect dissection and vasculitis of coronary arteries remains to be proven in future studies. © 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.