CCTA: Cardiothoracic surgery applications

Abstract

Cardiovascular computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) has great relevance for cardiothoracic surgical procedures, providing information essential to decisions regarding proceeding with surgical intervention, presurgical planning, as well as assessment for surgical efficacy and complications. In addition to visualization cardiovascular anatomy, CCTA provides a 3-D view of the relationships between thoracic skeletal, vascular, visceral, and cardiac structures (Figure 24.1). The spectrum of approaches to cardiovascular surgery has expanded to minimally invasively procedures [1, 2]. CCTA 3-D full field of view images with use of editing software enables visualization of multidimensional planes important to achieving access to target structures while avoiding important vascular and visceral thoracic structures for planning of these minimally invasive procedures. © 2010 Springer-Verlag London Limited.