The Potential Role of Cardiac CT in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Abstract

Acute coronary syndrome involves three types of coronary artery disease associated with sudden rupture of coronary artery plaque, and has a clinical presentation ranging from ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) to non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or unstable angina. Cardiac CT can help quantify and characterize atherosclerotic plaques. According to a previous study, low-attenuation plaque, napkin ring sign, positive remodeling, spotty calcification, and increased perivascular fat attenuation are associated with plaque ruptures on cardiac CT. Therefore, coronary artery stenosis, as well as acute coronary artery syndrome, can be diagnosed using cardiac CT.

Keywords

• acute coronary syndrome
• angina pectoris
• tomography
• x-ray