Does 16-MDCT angiography scanning direction affect image quality of coronary artery bypass grafts and the native coronary arteries?

To assess the impact of scanning direction on the image quality of coronary artery bypass grafts (CABGs), native coronary arteries (NCAs) were examined by electrocardiographically (ECG) gated 16-row multidetector computed tomography (16-MDCT). Eighty-two patients with 209 grafts were studied by 16-MDCT. Forty-one patients with 111 grafts were scanned craniocaudally. Forty-one patients with 98 grafts were scanned caudocranially. CABG, native coronary arteries were examined in four (proximal, middle, distal, distal anastomoses), three (proximal, middle, distal) segments, respectively. Subjective image quality on a four-point scale was calculated for segments. Scores of groups were compared. Results Image quality scores of proximal, distal segments of the right coronary artery (RCA) were better in caudocranially scanned group (P<0.05). When we subgrouped patients according to initial heart rates (IHR) (group 1, <65 beats/min; group 2, > or =65 beats/min), there was no statistical significance between image quality scores of coronary arteries, CABG when IHR was <65 beats/min in groups regardless of scanning direction. Scores of anastomotic segment of CABG to RCA, middle segments of circumflex coronary artery, proximal and distal segments of RCA in caudocranially scanned group were better when the IHR is > or =65 beats/min compared with the craniocaudally scanned group. When the IHR of the patient is > or =65 beats/min, performing ECG-gated 16-MDCT angiography in the caudocranial direction provides better image quality for evaluation of coronary arteries and CABGs.