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Ординатура / Хирургия / Библиотека им академика М.И. Перельмана / Книга_3752_Библиотеки_им_академика_М_И_Перельмана

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Part I
Overview
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© Springer International Publishing 2016 M.J. Budoff, J.S. Shinbane (eds.), Cardiac CT Imaging: Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Disease, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-28219-0_1
Computed Tomography
Matthew J. Budoff
Abstract
Cardiac CT scanners are rapidly improving, each major vendor has introduced a state of the
art scanner every 2–3 years. The basic applications, terminology and acquisition has not
changed dramatically, however, improvements in hardware and software continue to reduce
radiation exposure, scan times, artifacts and improve image quality. This chapter outlines
the basic CT terminology, functions and background behind the current state of CT scan-
ners for cardiac applications. It reviews spatial, temporal and contrast resolution limits of
the CT scanners. An overview of common terms, radiation exposure and protocols are
included. This acts as an introductory chapter to be expanded by subsequent chapters that
will each go into more details on specifi c topics. Comparison to magnetic resonance for
image quality and functionality, and dose comparisons to mammography, nuclear and
fl uoroscopy are included.
Keywords
Cardiac CT • Angiography • MDCT • MRI • Coronary calcium • Protocols • Radiation •
Spatial resolution • Temporal resolution
Overview of X-ray Computed Tomography
The development of computed tomography (CT), resulting in widespread clinical use of CT scanning by the early 1980s, was a major breakthrough in clinical diagnosis across multiple fi elds. The primary advantage of CT was the ability to obtain thin cross-sectional axial images, with improved spatial resolution over ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and magnetic resonance imaging. This imaging avoided super­position of three-dimensional (3-D) structures onto a planar 2-D representation, as is the problem with conventional projection X-ray (fl uoroscopy). CT images, which are inherently digital and thus quite robust, are amenable to 3-D
computer reconstruction, allowing for ultimately nearly an infi nite number of projections. From a cardiac perspective, the increased spatial resolution is the reason for its increase in sensitivity for atherosclerosis, plaque detection and coronary artery disease (CAD). With CT, smaller objects can be seen with better image quality. Localization of structures (in any plane) is more accurate and easier with tomography than with projection imaging like fl uoroscopy. The excep­tional contrast resolution of CT (ability to differentiate fat, air, tissue and water), allows visualization of more than the lumen or stent, but rather the plaque, artery wall and other cardiac and non-cardiac structures simultaneously.
The basic principle of CT is that a fan-shaped, thin X-ray beam passes through the body at many angles to allow for cross-sectional imaging. The corresponding X-ray trans­mission measurements are collected by a detector array. Information entering the detector array and X-ray beam itself is collimated to produce thin sections while avoiding unnecessary photon scatter (to keep radiation exposure and
M. J. Budoff , MD David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA , Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute , Torrance , CA , USA e-mail: mbudoff@labiomed.org
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image noise to a minimum). The x-ray tub and detector array rotate around the patient separated by 180°, allowing continuous acquisition of data. The data recorded by the detectors are digitized into picture elements (pixels) with known dimensions. The gray-scale information contained in each individual pixel is reconstructed according to the attenuation of the X-ray beam along its path using a stan­dardized technique termed “fi ltered back projection.” Gray­scale values for pixels within the reconstructed tomogram are defi ned with reference to the value for water and are called “Hounsfi eld units” (HU; for the 1979 Nobel Prize winner, Sir Godfrey N. Hounsfi eld), or simply “CT num­bers.” These CT numbers are the attenuation or brightness of the individual pixel (smallest defi nable unit on CT) of data. A three dimensional pixel is called a voxel. Typical pixel values for studies commonly seen on cardiac CT are listed in Table 1.1 .
Dr Hounsfi eld is credited with the invention of the CT scanner in late 1960s. Since CT uses X-ray absorption to cre­ate images, the differences in the image brightness at any point will depend on physical density and the presence of atoms with a high difference in anatomic number like cal­cium, and soft tissue and water. The absorption of the X-ray beam by different atoms will cause differences in CT bright­ness on the resulting image (contrast resolution). Blood and soft tissue (in the absence of vascular contrast enhancement) have similar density and consist of similar proportions of the same atoms (hydrogen, oxygen, carbon). Bone has an abun­dance of calcium and is thus brighter on CT. Fat has an abun­dance of hydrogen. Lung contains air which is of extremely low physical density and appears black on CT (HU −1000). The higher the density, the brighter the structure on CT. Calcium is bright white, air is black, and muscle or blood is gray. There are over 5000 shades of this gray scale represented on CT, centered around zero (water- gray). Computed tomography, therefore, can distinguish blood from air, fat and bone but not readily from muscle or other soft tissue. The densities of blood, myocardium, thrombus, and fi brous tissues are so similar in their CT number, that non-enhanced CT cannot distinguish these structures. Thus, the ventricles and other cardiac chambers can be seen on non-enhanced CT, but delineating the wall from the blood
pool is not possible (Fig. 1.1 ). Investigators have validated the measurement of “LV size” with cardiac CT, which is the sum of both left ventricle (LV) mass and volume [ 1 ]. Due to the thin wall which does not contribute signifi cantly to the total measured volume, the left and right atrial volumes can be accurately measured on non-contrast CT [ 2 ].
Because contrast resolution uses attenuation or density to visualize structures in gray scale, limitations of contrast res­olution exist even on contrast enhanced studies. These include differentiating the cardiac vessels from cardiac cavi­ties with same density (such as when the arteries run become intra-myocardial), and differentiating non-calcifi ed plaque from surrounding low density structures, including throm­bus. Even with good contrast enhancement, differentiating different types of plaque (lipid-laden and fi brous) can some­times be challenging, although it is always easy to differenti­ate the bright white plaques (calcifi ed) from non-calcifi c plaques.
Table 1.1 Typical Hounsfi eld unit values
Air ~ −1000 HU Fat −100 to −40 Water – zero Non-enhanced myocardium and blood – 40–60 Contrast enhanced myocardium 80–140 Calcium >130 (to about 1000) Enhanced blood pools (lumen, aorta, LV) 300–500 Metal >1000
Fig. 1.1 A non-contrast CT scan of the heart. Quite a bit of information can be garnered without contrast. The pericardium is visible as a thin line just below the R and L. The coronary arteries can be seen, and diameters and calcifi cations are present. The right coronary artery is seen near the R, the left anterior at the L, and the circumfl ex at the C. The four chambers of the heart are also seen, and relative sizes can be measured from this non-contrast study. The interatrial septum is clearly seen ( red arrow ). The ascending aorta is also present on this image and can be evaluated. Ao aorta, L left anterior descending artery, LA left atrium, LV left ventricle, RA right atrium, RV right ventricle
M.J. Budoff
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