Cardiac diseases and in particular coronary artery disease are the leading cause of death and morbidity in the industrialized countries. The development of reliable cardiac imaging techniques is considered a key issue in improving patient care. The introduction of multi-slice computed tomography in 1998 represented a breakthrough of CT technology in cardiac imaging. For the first time, widely available CT systems can be used for non-invasive, angiographic assessment of the heart and the coronary arteries. This book presents and discusses the technical concepts, the potential spectrum of applications and the future perspectives of multi-slice CT in cardiac imaging based on the experience of internationally leading clinical institutions. It shows that this new modality has the potential to become an important and robust tool for non-invasive and early diagnosis of cardiac diseases, thus complementing invasive and non-invasive imaging modalities in clinical routine in the near future.
From the reviews:
"The present book ... precisely describes the technical background of multi-slice computed tomography in general and cardiac image acquisition in particular. Several excellent multicolored figures and drawings provide additional information ... . A clearly structured table of contents combined with short but precise sections provide a substantial orientation for the beginner ... . this book is a highly valuable contribution to the fascinating area of multi-slice cardiac CT imaging and thus presently must be regarded as the most profound overview of the underlying technical principles." (C. Herzog, European Radiology, Vol. 13 (6), 2003)
"This work provides an excellent introduction to multisection cardiac CT. ... The many drawings illustrating technical aspects of image reconstruction are particularly useful. The CT images are also impressive and they provide a good indication of the potential of this technique. ... is a timely, well-written book that should be useful to any radiologist interested in applying multisection CT technology to cardiac imaging. This inexpensive volume can be read in a few sittings and it provides a wealth of useful information." (James F. Glockner, Radiology, Vol. 228 (2), August, 2003)
"This book deals with the technical principles, clinical application and future developments of cardiac multi-slice CT. ... Some very nice examples of coronary rendering are shown ... . In summary, this book describes the multicentre experience with a four-slice Siemens scanner from a mainly technical perspective. The book is well written; many multicolour schemes, illustrations and examples are present ... ." (Frank Rademakers, Acta Cardiologica, Vol. 58 (2), 2003)
"The age of non-invasive coronary artery imaging has arrived. This book ... is a very comprehensive account ... . There are six chapters each densely packed with information that is both informative and intellectually challenging. ... a rich store of facts and figures about coronary artery disease and the way in which it will be diagnosed in the future. It should be available in every departmental library and I would also suggest a personal copy for those who wish to work in the field." (Dr. L A Berger, RAD Magazine, March, 2003)
