EACVI Handbook of Cardiovascular CT

Description:

Since its clinical introduction almost 20 years ago, cardiac CT has been embraced as an indispensable noninvasive cardiac imaging modality and an important first-line test for coronary artery disease. Beyond coronary artery disease, the potential of cardiac CT has become evident for diagnosis and guidance of treatment in a variety of other cardiac pathologies, including valvular disease, atrial fibrillation and other arrhythmias, endocarditis, cardiac masses, cardiomyopathies, and others. The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) has declared as one of their foremost priorities to facilitate education and training in cardiovascular CT through teaching courses, congresses, and a structured certification program. This handbook represents an important step towards dissemination of skills and knowledge in cardiovascular CT. It is a concise and practical companion, to benefit students, trainees or advanced users; cardiologists, radiologists, cardiac surgeons or technicians, in their everyday practice. Four broad sections cover technical aspects and physical background, coronary indications (e.g. coronary CT angiography, atherosclerosis imaging, stents & bypasses, functional CT imaging, etc.), non-coronary indications (CT for valve disease, infective endocarditis, CT of the left atrium, congenital heart disease, cardiac masses, extracardiac findings, etc.), and finally training and competence in cardiac CT. The handbook features short chapters, enriched with illustrations, tables and condensed summaries, facilitating rapid and intuitive access.

Table of Contents:

1. Technical background, patient preparation, and quality and safety

1.1 Key hardware components of a cardiac-enabled CT scanner

1.2 Technical requirements for cardiac CT scanning

1.3 Physical background: X-ray generation, interaction with matter, and radiation dosimetry concepts

1.4 Patient selection and preparation

1.5 Scanner setup, cardiac protocols, and contrast injection

1.6 Image reconstruction, postprocessing, and fundamentals of image analysis

1.7 Concepts of radioprotection

1.8 Common CT imaging artefacts

1.9 Tips and tricks to improve image quality

1.10 CT contrast agents and injection protocols

1.11 How to deal with challenging scenarios

2. Indications: coronary artery disease

2.1 Coronary artery calcium imaging

2.2 Coronary CT angiography interpretation and reporting

2.3 How to apply coronary CT angiography in patients with stable chest pain

2.4 CT-based fractional flow reserve

2.5 CT myocardial perfusion and scar imaging

2.6 Atherosclerotic plaque imaging

2.7 Stents and grafts

2.8 Coronary anomalies

2.9 CT for suspected acute coronary syndrome

2.10 Graft vasculopathy in transplanted hearts

3. Non-coronary artery disease indications

3.1 Ventricular volume and function

3.2 Normal dimensions on cardiac CT

3.3 Aortic valve disease

3.4 CT prior to transcatheter/surgical aortic valve replacement

3.5 Mitral valve disease

3.6 CT after valve surgery/intervention

3.7 Left atrium and pulmonary veins

3.8 Infective endocarditis

3.9 Thoracic great vessels

3.10 Adult congenital heart disease

3.11 Cardiomyopathies

3.12 Cardiac masses

3.13 Pericardial disease

3.14 Implanted cardiac devices and how to recognize them on CT

3.15 Extracardiac findings

3.16 Artificial intelligence in cardiac CT

4. Training and competence in cardiac CT

4.1 European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging certification standards in cardiac CT

Index