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World J Radiol. May 28, 2014; 6(5): 148-159
Published online May 28, 2014. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v6.i5.148
Coronary plaque imaging by coronary computed tomography angiography
Akira Sato
Akira Sato, Cardiovascular Division, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan
Author contributions: Sato A analyzed the data and wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Akira Sato, MD, Cardiovascular Division, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577, Japan. asato@md.tsukuba.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-29-8533143 Fax: +81-29-8533143
Received: December 27, 2013
Revised: February 9, 2014
Accepted: April 17, 2014
Published online: May 28, 2014
Processing time: 152 Days and 2.1 Hours
Abstract

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) has become the useful noninvasive imaging modality alternative to the invasive coronary angiography for detecting coronary artery stenoses in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). With the development of technical aspects of coronary CTA, clinical practice and research are increasingly shifting toward defining the clinical implication of plaque morphology and patients outcomes by coronary CTA. In this review we discuss the coronary plaque morphology estimated by CTA beyond coronary angiography including the comparison to the currently available other imaging modalities used to examine morphological characteristics of the atherosclerotic plaque. Furthermore, this review underlies the value of a combined assessment of coronary anatomy and myocardial perfusion in patients with CAD, and adds to an increasing body of evidence suggesting an added diagnostic value when combining both modalities. We hope that an integrated, multi-modality imaging approach will become the gold standard for noninvasive evaluation of coronary plaque morphology and outcome data in clinical practice.

Keywords: Coronary computed tomography angiography; Coronary plaque; Vulnerable plaque; Clinical outcome

Core tip: With the development of technical aspects of coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), clinical practice and research are increasingly shifting toward defining the clinical implication of plaque morphology and patients outcomes by coronary CTA. In this review we discuss the coronary plaque morphology estimated by CTA beyond coronary angiography including the comparison to the currently available other imaging modalities used to examine morphological characteristics of the atherosclerotic plaque. We hope that an integrated, multi-modality imaging approach will become the gold standard for noninvasive evaluation of coronary plaque morphology and outcome data in clinical practice.