Coronary Stent CT Imaging and Interpretation

Coronary stenting is a common form of coronary artery revascularization, and the evaluation of symptoms in patients who have had stent placement is a frequent clinical problem in cardiology. Unfortunately, artifacts including blooming and beam hardening make the visualization of the lumen within a stent difficult, and stent assessment using conventional CT scanners is often problematic. Later generation stents and those with large diameters, e.g., of 3.5 mm or greater, can usually be well seen. Avoidance of reduced X-ray tube voltage and use of a sharp kernel during reconstruction may be helpful. New technological developments, such as ultra-high-resolution CT, hold promise in improving stent assessment.