Cardiac computed tomography and its use in clinical practice: a review

Abstract

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) is an imaging modality that can visualize the anatomy of the heart and its surroundings. The technological advancement in cardiac CT gave better accuracy with lower radiation than earlier models. Its entire procedure took a relatively short time and minimal contact. Cardiac CT is an important imaging modality in clinical practice during emergencies and non-emergency settings and in planning comprehensive management of cardiac patients. Cardiac CT is useful in emergency settings, acting as a triple rule-out imaging modality. Cardiac CT in non-emergency settings can determine coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and detect left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus before cardioversion. Furthermore, cardiac CT is now more commonly used as a modality in planning comprehensive management of cardiac patients’ especially coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in planning for cardiac intervention. This imaging modality becomes more relevant to use in clinical practice during the pandemic due to less contact with the patient needed during the procedure, and physicians may get used to cardiac CT. This article aims to explain the advantages of CCTA in emergency and non-emergency settings and discuss its limitation so that we can make the best use of it. This writing is a literature review. The literature search using PubMed and Google Scholar.