Computed Tomography in Heart Failure

AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this paper was to review the role of cardiac computed tomography (CCT) in both the diagnostic and management pathways of heart failure.Recent FindingsCT has an essential role in non-invasively excluding coronary artery disease but also can provide additional information that can aid the investigation of the patient presenting with heart failure. CT images provide high-quality information about cardiac structure and pericardium. Cardiac anatomical information, such as the location and size of coronary sinuses, can assist in lead placement in cardiac resynchronisation therapy. Cardiac CT with fractional flow reserve calculation can also provide functional information on the severity of coronary stenosis. Cardiac CT with delayed contrast enhancement also has an emerging role in myocardial tissue characterisation which can contribute to risk stratification in cardiomyopathy patients. CT also may fit better into pathways of screening and monitoring of potential adverse cardiac events in the short-term and long-term assessment of cancer patients who may already be getting a CT for other reasons.SummaryCT has an evolving role in both the diagnosis and management of heart failure and future research could examine the potential risks, benefits, efficiency and costs of clinical pathways where cardiac CT is more central to the diagnosis and management of patients with heart failure and possible cardiomyopathy.
Source: Current Cardiovascular Imaging Reports - Category: Radiology Source Type: research