The coronary computed tomography angiogram: from the basics to advanced interpretation

According to the WHO's World Health Report 2003, cardiovascular disease was responsible for 16.7 million deaths annually. As a result, it is now the leading cause of death in developed countries and in many developing countries. De-tecting and preventing the progression of coronary artery dis-ease is the target of many pharmaceutical, technological and other scientific programs today. Presently, the main diagnos-tic tool for evaluating coronary arteries is the conventional coronary angiogram (CCA). In the U.S. alone, between 1979 and 2000, the number of cardiac catheterizations increased by 341 % with more than 2 million cases performed in 2000 alone. However, other than the cost associated with the procedure, conventional coronary angiography is invasive and is associ-ated with a complication rate of around 2%.