Cone-Beam CT Angiography of the Thorax An Experimental Study

• Published in: JAPANESE CIRCULATION JOURNAL Vol. 63; no. 10; pp. 789 - 793
• Main Authors: Yoshida, Katsuya, Tadokoro, Hiroyuki, Shimada, Kazuhiro, Endo, Masahiro, Satoh, Kazumasa, Kitsukawa, Shinobu, Takami, Akira, Masuda, Yoshiaki, Kusakabe, Masahiro, Sasaki, Yasuhito
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kyoto The Japanese Circulation Society 01-10-1999; Japanese Circulation Society
• Subjects: Angiography; Angiography - methods; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular system; Computed tomography; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Radiography, Thoracic - methods; Swine; Thoracic Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Thorax; Three-dimension; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Radiodiagnosis; Angiography; Exploration; Thorax; Pig; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Three dimensional representation; Animal; Medical imagery; Computerized axial tomography; Artiodactyla; Technique; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0047-1828; 1347-4839
• DOI: 10.1253/jcj.63.789

The authors recently developed a cone-beam computed tomography (CT) scanner and this report presents their evaluation of its potential for thoracic vascular imaging. An X-ray tube and a video-fluoroscopic system were rotated around the objects and 360 projected images were collected in a 12-s scan. Each image was digitized and a 3 dimensional (D) image (256×256 ×256 voxel volume with a voxel dimension of 0.9 ×0.9×0.9 mm) was reconstructed. Two different 3D-CT angiographies were investigated in 2 pigs: right atriography and thoracic aortography. Each pig was anesthetized, mechanically ventilated and positioned within the scanner. Contrast agent was infused through the right atrium or the aortic root at a rate of 3 ml/s during the scan. The right atriography scan clearly delineated the anatomy of the pulmonary artery, heart chambers and thoracic aorta. The thoracic aortography scan also clearly delineated the aortic anatomy including the internal thoracic and intercostal arteries. In conclusion, cone-beam CT angiography is potentially useful for thoracic vascular imaging. (Jpn Circ J 1999; 63: 789 - 793)