Low-dose Coronary-CT Angiography Using Step and Shoot at Any Heart Rate: Comparison of Image Quality at Systole for High Heart Rate and Diastole for Low Heart Rate with a 128-slice Dual-source Machine

Overview

Journal Int J Cardiovasc Imaging

Publisher Springer

Specialty Radiology

Date 2012 Aug 25

PMID 22918571

Citations 8

Authors

Jean-Francois Paul

Aude Amato

Adela Rohnean

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

To compare image quality of coronary CT angiography in step-and-shoot mode at the diastolic phase at low heart rates (<70 bpm) and systolic phase at high heart rates (≥70 bpm). We prospectively included 96 consecutive patients then excluded 5 patients with arrhythmia. Coronary CT-angiography was performed using a dual-source 128-slice CT machine, at the diastolic phase in the 55 patients with heart rates <70 bpm (group D) and at the systolic phase in the 36 patients with heart rates ≥70 (group S). Image quality was scored on a 5 point-scale (1, not interpretable; 2, insufficient for diagnosis; 3, fair, sufficient for diagnosis; 4, good; 5, excellent). In addition, we compared the number of stair-step artifacts in the two groups. Mean image quality score was 4 (0.78) in group D and 4.1 (0.34) in group S (NS), with an unequal distribution (p = 0.01). Step artifacts were seen in 44 % of group D and 18 % of group S patients (p = 0.02). In 3 group D patients and no group S patients, the image score was <3 due to artifacts, requiring repeat CT-angiography. When performing dual-source 128-slice CT-angiography, step-and-shoot acquisition provides comparable mean image quality in systole, with less variability and fewer stair-step artifacts, compared to diastole. This method may be feasible at any heart rate in most patients in sinus rhythm, allowing low-dose prospective acquisition without beta-blocker premedication.

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