CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND ITS EFFECT ON CARDIAC STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION - EVALUATION BY ELECTRON-BEAM COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY

Coronary artery disease affects millions of Americans annually. In eva luating coronary artery disease, it is important to develop diagnostic methodology that can screen patients before the onset of symptoms or cardiac events and, in addition, evaluate the functional aspects of co ronary artery disease, including any residual effects on the heart aft er events have occurred. Electron beam computed tomography allows the identification of coronary calcium, which is a marker for coronary ath erosclerotic disease, and also allows the quantification of cardiac fu nction, which may be altered from coronary atherosclerosis or the occu rrence of a cardiac event. Thus, electron beam computed tomographic im aging is having a major impact on the diagnosis and follow-up on coron ary artery disease.