Diagnostic performance of CT coronary angiography for the detection of obstructive coronary artery disease

CT coronary angiography (CTCA) is emerging as the most promising imaging modality for noninvasive detection of atherosclerotic disease of the coronary arteries. The possibility to identify or rule out significant coronary stenosis, to measure atherosclerotic plaque burden, and to characterize plaque components makes this imaging modality very enticing. This review briefly summarizes CTCA’s technical aspects, limitations, and pitfalls, as well as different methods of analyses of diagnostic performance of CTCA. It also provides clinical indications for the use of CTCA and discusses its use in patients with prior coronary stent placement and coronary artery bypass grafting.