Keywords:
Artifacts, Technical aspects, CT, Cardiac
Authors:
E.-J. Kang1, K.-N. Lee1, J.-M. Lee2, J. Y. Oh1, B.-H. Park1, H. J. Kwon1, D. H. Ha1, D. W. Kim1; 1Busan/KR, 2Daegu/KR
Conclusion
Limitations
- We did not apply the free-breathing CCTA method on patients showing very fast (>75 bpm) or irregular heart rates,
whom should be examined by multisegment reconstruction technique.
– during the free-breathing state the position of the heart
significantly different between the two or three cardiac cycles
--> which produce critical beat-to-beat artifacts after
multisegment reconstruction.
- Although the mean effective radiation doses were not statistically different between the two methods in the present results,
free-breathing CCTA has the possibility of higher radiation dose exposure than breath-holding CCTA.
– Due to the respiratory shifting of heart,
free-breathing CCTA
may require slightly larger scan coverage than breath-
holding CCTA.
– The free-breathing CCTA should be used based on strict
indications; such as patients who cannot cooperate to stop
their breathing or whose heart rate increases during breath
holding.
- Except in one case,
we did not scan the same patients with the free-breathing and breath-holding techniques
- The sample size of our study was relatively small,
which may affect the statistical results.
Conclusion
- Free-breathing CCTA,
using a 320-detector CT scanner showed no significant difference in image quality compared to the standard breath-holding CCTA.
- During the CCTA for patients with difficulty in holding their breath or with marked apnea-related heart rate variability,
the free-breathing CCTA during a single heart beat can be an acceptable solution.