CT Angiography: Overview

CT Angiography: Overview

CT Angiography (CTA) is becoming increasingly important as a sophisticated tool for evaluation and screening of the vascular structures of the body. CTA is emerging as a less invasive more economical method of vascular evaluation compared to catheterization procedures in angiographic labs. The volume of data that the CTA exam provides enables visualization of complex vascular relationships more effectively in views unattainable with conventional arteriography. (Figure 6)

CTA of a Multi Phase Liver Study (Figure 6)

The ability to combine data from different filling phases helps show complex relationships of vasculature as is shown in this image of the arterial and venous vessels in the liver. Helical CT allows rapid scanning of contrast as it moves through the body. Optimal arterial acquisition is obtained in a cranial to caudal movement and then the venous phase is acquired by reversing the table feed to a caudal to cranial movement. 3D reconstruction was performed to map out the vasculature and then combine the structures to show their relationship to each other. The liver was added, in a translucency, to help define the relationship of the vasculature to the organ.