Abstract
The report by Shapiro et al1 on the accuracy of computed tomographic angiography (CTA) is a breath of fresh air in an area of cardiac imaging that is based more on financial self-interest and flashy marketing than on science. The investigators compared the results of CTA with direct coronary angiography and found that this technique is accurate when the amount of calcium is small. However, patients with minimal calcification tend to have normal coronary arteries or less severe disease, and presumably, standard techniques for identifying the presence of significant coronary obstructions would suffice in this group, without exposure to the higher dose of radiation associated with CTA.
Highlights
The report by Shapiro et al[1] on the accuracy of computed tomographic angiography (CTA) is a breath of fresh air in an area of cardiac imaging that is based more on financial self-interest and flashy marketing than on science
The investigators compared the results of CTA with direct coronary angiography and found that this technique is accurate when the amount of calcium is small
In patients with more complex atherosclerotic disease, the presence of calcium interferes with the accurate assessment of the severity of stenosis determined by CTA
Summary
The report by Shapiro et al[1] on the accuracy of computed tomographic angiography (CTA) is a breath of fresh air in an area of cardiac imaging that is based more on financial self-interest and flashy marketing than on science. Title A non-biased assessment of the usefulness of computed tomographic angiography. A Non-Biased Assessment of the Usefulness of Computed Tomographic Angiography
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