Stop-Action Cardiac Computed Tomography

Abstract

Computed tomographic (CT) cardiac imaging in vivo has been hampered by motion of the heart during its cardiac cycle. A technique of post data-acquisition correlation of the angular projection data using the electrocardiogram as a reference signal is described. This method produced seven "stop action" images of the heart and resulted in delineating morphological detail not recognizable on the conventional CT scan.

Computed tomography—old ideas and new technology

“…Also in 1977, retrospective gating was developed by Harell et al [12]. They oversampled the heart at a single table position, and then reconstructed a movie containing seven images from different phases of the cardiac cycle.…”

Gated cardiac imaging using a continuously rotating CT scanner: clinical evaluation of 91 patients

“…Nongated composite images of four-revolution scans were obtamed during the examination, but the gated images were reconstructed after the patients left the scanner. The modified software program had been developed for the CT scanner's computer system to supplement Vanan's original EGG gating program [1]. It cost about $1 ,000 for EGG equipment and the circuit to record the angular position of the gantry.…”

“…By post-data-acquisition correlation of the angular projection data to the corresponding segments in the electrocardiographic (ECG) cycle, this difficulty can be partially circumvented [1 ]. The problem with this relatively undeveloped technique lies in the fact that an insufficient number of angular projection data for producing good quality images are obtained.…”

Computed tomography of abdominal paraaortic lymph node disease: preliminary observations with a 6 second scanner

“…This machine has a continuously rotating slip ring-equipped gantry with a collimated rotating anode x-ray source [1]. The source is pulsed once at every degree of gantry rotation to produce a flash of true fan beam radiation which.…”