Indications, imaging technique, and reading of cardiac computed tomography: survey of clinical practice.
Eur Radiol 2011;
22:59-72. [PMID:
21845461 DOI:
10.1007/s00330-011-2239-7]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2011] [Revised: 06/09/2011] [Accepted: 07/01/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To obtain an overview of the current clinical practice of cardiac computed tomography (CT).
METHODS
A 32-item questionnaire was mailed to a total of 750 providers of cardiac CT in 57 countries.
RESULTS
A total of 169 questionnaires from 38 countries were available for analysis (23%). Most CT systems used (94%, 207/221) were of the latest generation (64-row or dual-source CT). The most common indications for cardiac CT was exclusion of coronary artery disease (97%, 164/169). Most centres used beta blockade (91%, 151/166) and sublingual nitroglycerine (80%, 134/168). A median slice thickness of 0.625 mm with a 0.5-mm increment and an 18-cm reconstruction field of view was used. Interpretation was most often done using source images in orthogonal planes (92%, 155/169). Ninety percent of sites routinely evaluate extracardiac structures on a large (70%) or cardiac field of view (20%). Radiology sites were significantly more interested in jointly performing cardiac CT together with cardiology than cardiologists. The mean examination time was 18.6 ± 8.4 min, and reading took on average 28.7 ± 17.8 min.
CONCLUSIONS
Cardiac CT has rapidly become established in clinical practice, and there is emerging consensus regarding indications, conduct of the acquisition, and reading.
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