Today’s computed tomography (CT) machines are able to visualize the coronary artery wall and inner lumen at a resolution of less than 1 mm. The time it takes to image the heart and coronary arteries is less than 10 seconds. All it takes is an upper extremity intravenous injection of a small amount of liquid contrast material for enhancement of the cardiac chambers and coronary artery lumen, all done during a single breath hold. Confirmation or exclusion of symptomatic coronary artery disease has become much easier and noninvasive, especially in an acute emergency setting. An increasing number of hospitals are equipped with the capabilities of such type of cardiac/coronary imaging performed by diagnostic radiologists.
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