Prospective ECG-triggered sequential scan protocol for coronary dual-source CT angiography: initial experience

The exposure to ionizing radiation has raised concerns about coronary CT angiography (CCTA). Recently, prospective ECG-triggered sequential scan technique has been introduced in CCTA to significantly reduce radiation exposure. The purpose of this study was to analyze our experience with the sequential scan technique on a dual-source CT system with respect to image quality and radiation dose. Qualitative and quantitative image quality as well as radiation dose were assessed in 514 consecutive patients undergoing CCTA either with sequential or spiral image acquisition technique on dual-source CT. The selection of the applied scan technique was at the discretion of an experienced coronary CT angiographer. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to identify predictors of diagnostic image quality. Diagnostic CCTA image quality was found in 1,395/1,429 (97.6%) versus 4,664/4,782 (97.5%) of the coronary segments in patients studied with sequential versus spiral scanning (P = 0.82). While the application of betablockers for CCTA was an independent factor for improved image quality in the multivariate regression analysis, heart rate variability and body mass index were indepentently associated with a deterioriated image quality. The scan technique had no independent impact on diagnostic image quality. Mean estimated radiation dose was reduced by 63% in patients studied with sequential scan technique (3.4 ± 2.2 vs. 7.6 ± 5.0 mSv, P < 0.01). In patients with a low and stable heart rate, the sequential scan technique is a promising method to effectively reduce radiation exposure in dual-source CCTA. Due to the comparable image quality in sequential and spiral dual-source CCTA, the sequential scan technique should be considered as the primary scan protocol in appropriate patients.