Cardiology patient pages. Computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging.

Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are currently two of the latest methods for producing computerized images of normal and diseased heart muscle. Both CT and MRI are among the most accurate tools used to assess the heart’s structure and pumping function and the structures of the large vessels (aorta and pulmonary artery). When conventional imaging techniques such as a chest x-ray or echocardiogram are inadequate, these techniques often allow your doctor to make important diagnoses or decisions about treating your heart condition. ### What Is a Cardiac CT Scan? Cardiac CT scanning uses x-ray imaging to take images of the heart timed to the heartbeats to avoid motion blurring from the heart’s movements. There are two different CT technologies that can be used in imaging the heart: Electron beam CT (EBCT) and multi-detector CT scans (MDCT). Although there is ongoing debate about the relative merits of these two technologies, in general, they can be considered equivalent. Cardiac CT can provide information about the extent of atherosclerosis by detecting the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries, can detect structural abnormalities of the heart and heart lining (pericardium), and is useful for diagnosing many diseases of the larger blood vessels of the body. There is extensive research at present about the potential utility of cardiac CT for detecting blockages in the coronary arteries (coronary CT angiography). However, this use of CT scanning is unproven at this time. In general, a CT scan has the advantage of …