Coronary CTA reveals the status of the left and right coronary arteries and their branches which supply blood and nutrients to the cells of the heart. It is used to evaluate coronary artery disease and evaluate a person’s risk of heart attack.

Because blood vessel walls can be viewed, a coronary CTA can detect small amounts of plaque and very early signs of disease that may be missed by other exams, including catheter angiography. Additionally, the exam allows the radiologist to evaluate other organs near the heart and possibly find other abnormalities, such as lung disease or enlarged lymph nodes.

Coronary CTA Exam Guidelines

Preparation

• Prior to your scheduled appointment, Washington Imaging Services (WIS) will call you to discuss specific instructions, review your health and insurance information and answer any questions.
• For your convenience, print out and complete the appropriate Patient Forms, including Patient Registration and Patient History. Bring them with you to your appointment.
• If you are over the age of 65 or have Renal Insufficiency and will be receiving I.V. contrast as part of your MDCT exam, you must have a BUN/Creatinine drawn within 30 days prior to the exam.
• If you’ve had an allergic reaction to a contrast agent in any prior imaging exam, please notify our staff before your appointment.
• Continue to take your routine medications.
• Take nothing by mouth 6 hours prior to your exam.
• Avoid caffeine and other stimulants 12 hours prior to the scan.
• Leave your valuables at home. All jewelry and any metal objects must be removed prior to the exam.
• Wear comfortable clothing without zippers, snaps or metal buttons. Or, you may change into a hospital gown or scrubs after arriving.
• If your heart rate is above 70, we may have to give you a drug to slow your heart to 55-60 beats per minute.
• Please notify the technologist if you have had a barium exam within the last 3 days.
• Please notify the technologist if you are pregnant or could be pregnant, or if you are breastfeeding.
• Please bring all relevant prior examination films or studies (CT, MRI, ultrasound, x-rays, etc.) with you on the day of your exam.
• Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your exam.

What to Expect During the Exam

• The technologist will help position you comfortably on a cushioned table. The table top will move through a gantry (shaped like a big donut) that has an x-ray tube on one side and an arc-shaped detector mounted on the opposite side.
• During each full rotation, a fan-shaped x-ray beam is passed through your body and an image of a thin section is acquired. The detector records about 1,000 images or slices of the expanded x-ray beam per rotation. A computer reconstructs the slices into two-dimensional (cross-sectional) and/or three-dimensional images of your internal anatomy. Normally an entire scan can be done with a single breath hold.
• Some MDCT studies require a contrast material to enhance the visibility of certain tissues or blood vessels. The contrast is injected through an I.V. in your hand or arm. You may feel a warm, flushed sensation and experience a metallic taste in your mouth that lasts for a few minutes.
• You will receive special instructions if your exam requires you to consume an oral contrast agent in advance.
• Allow 30 minutes for the exam.

What to Expect After the Exam

• You may leave as soon as the exam is completed and resume normal activities.
• Your normal diet may be resumed.
• If you were given a contrast agent orally or by I.V., drinking plenty of water after the exam will help flush your system.
• Your imaging study will be interpreted by an OIA board certified radiologist who specializes in the area of the body being scanned.
• Your referring physician will receive a report and pictures detailing the findings of your exam within 24 hours. You should contact your doctor to discuss the results.

Learn more about the Multi-Detector CT (MDCT) imaging equipment that will be used to conduct your exam.