Radiation dose difference between state of the art myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and computed tomography coronary angiography in patients undergoing evaluation for suspected coronary artery disease.

Minimisation of radiation exposure with cardiac imaging reduces the potential of secondary side effects. Radiation exposure from myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) was compared. Overall doses were low with both modalities. Doses were lower in the CTCA group, but by only a small difference of 1.1 mSv. Radiation exposure should not be the primary consideration when choosing between these two modalities.

Usefulness of enhanced stent visualization imaging technique in simple and complex PCI cases.

Stent underexpansion and underdeployment are associated with unfavorable outcomes including stent thrombosis, in-stent restenosis, and geographical miss. Visualization of coronary stents is increasingly difficult due to the reduction in stent strut thickness to improve deliverability. The gold standard evaluation method for stent expansion is intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), but its routine use is costly, time-consuming, and not without risk. Enhanced stent visualization is a novel fluoroscopy-based technique that improves visualization of deployed stents in the coronary arteries. We present a case series highlighting the use of this technique in percutaneous coronary intervention.