Electron beam tomography in heart surgery

Purpose: Electron beam CT (EBCT) has been devised to improve the imaging of the heart a nd the great vessels. Therefore, this method is expected to fa cilitate the imaging workup of patients referred for cardiothoracic surgery . We set out to review the most important surgical issues that can be addre ssed with this method. Methods: From June, 1997 until July,1998, more than 300 patients were refer red from cardiothoracic surgery. In a retrospective analysis, diagnostic re sults were reviewed and compared with surgical findings and the clinical co urse. Results: Aortocoronary bypass graft occlusions were detected with a sensiti vity of 100% and a specificity of 95%. Calcifications of the aorta, pericar dium and intracardiac tumors were surgically confirmed in all instances. Th ere was a significant association of the degree of coronary artery calcific ation and the progression of cardiac allograft vasculopathy in 50 heart tra nsplant recipients. In EBCT of the aorta, a high degree of diagnostic confi dence was found for aortic dissection, aortic wall hematoma or aortic perfo ration. Conclusions: We conclude that EBCT represents an important diagnostic tool both for surgical planning and postoperative surveillance in cardiothoracic surgery.