CORONARY-ARTERIES

Conventional coronary angiography (CA) is the standard of excellence f or the evaluation of coronary artery disease. However, non-invasive im aging modalities have developed that can play an important clinical ro le in the diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can offer a comp rehensive evaluation of the heart and the coronary arteries by virtue of its high soft tissue contrast capabilities, double-oblique tomograp hic sections and the possibility of quantifying physiological paramete rs without need of ionizing radiation. Magnetic resonance coronary art eriography (MRCA) using breath-hold and free-breathing techniques has been investigated but is still in the experimental phase its precise r ole for the assessment of coronary stenosis must still be identified. Nonetheless: MRCA has proven clinically relevant in determining the co urse of anomalous coronary arteries and the patency of coronary artery bypass grafts. Novel intravascular contrast agents promise faster cov erage of the cardiac anatomy and may provide a long-awaited boost for MRCA. Contrast-enhanced electron-beam computed tomography (EBT), anoth er competing imaging modality, is now being subjected to widespread ev aluation following initially encouraging results.