Coronary CTA

This article will first compare the various cardiac imaging studies commonly prescribed and will discuss basic technical aspects of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). CCTA represents one of the most valuable diagnostic studies available in the fight against coronary artery disease (CAD) because early diagnosis is imperative for early intervention. Advances in temporal and spatial resolution enable identification of CAD in its earliest stages before stenosis occurs. These advances have made CCTA the most sensitive and specific cardiac imaging study currently available. No other cardiac study provides 99% negative predictive value. Coronary CTA exceeds the ability of any other noninvasive study to rule out CAD while simultaneously evaluating surrounding tissue and organs. Despite these remarkable claims, this study remains controversial. Changes in health-care practice and insurance coverage have been slow but the paradigm is shifting.