Non-invasive imaging modalities for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease: The present and the future

The prevalence and economic burden of coronary artery disease are high. New noninvasive diagnostic imaging methods have evolved in recent decades, including coronary computed tomography angiography and cardiac magnetic resonance angiography. Investigations into functional ischemic parameters have also been added to anatomical imaging to improve diagnostic performance, including the fractional flow reserve calculated from contrast computed tomography, perfusion computed tomography, perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, a combination of coronary computed tomography angiography with myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and the myocardial flow reserve calculated from perfusion positron emission tomography. In this article, we will discuss progress in noninvasive imaging modalities for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and trends for the future.