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Biotech / Medical : IMAT - ultrafast tomography for coronary artery disease -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jerel Zoltick who wrote (2674)	8/22/1998 12:29:00 AM
From: Steven Durrington	Respond to of 3725

I disagree (a little). MRI scan times are continuously decreasing with better software, hardware and resulting SNRs. Plus, ECG gating can allow scanning of the heart inbetween cardiac contractions. All this adds up to future potential for MRI to be used increasingly for cardiac scans. Of the whole heart too, that is, and not just the coronary arteries. Where MRI has some limitations regarding imaging of coronary arteries is the current spatial resolution and long scan times. "MR Angiography" is still a relatively new concept and does not have the quality of DSA (Digital Subtraction Angiography) or conventional cardiac angiography using cine film. Calcified plaques will not show on MRI, other than as a signal void, as they do not have Hydrogen in them for imaging purposes. But, they would show on a MR Angiogram of the heart, if and when the technology becomes advanced enough, as a void in the signal of the blood in the arteries. But for the purposes of this discussion, ultrafast CT is currently a superior technology for assessing calcium in the coronary arteries, if my understanding of the relative technologies is accurate. Angiography remains the gold standard for assessing the intraluminal integrity of arteries, but of course has associated risks and costs that come with it. Ultrafast CT is a useful screening tool in the whole diagnostic process. Regards, Durro