In recent years there has been an increasing interest in quantitative analysis of coronary cineangiograms and already for a longer time of left ventricular cin- eangiograms. The needfor quantitationofcoronary arterialdimensions has been stimulated by the introduction ofnew therapeutic procedures in the catheteriza- tionlaboratory, suchas the balloon dilatationtechnique (PTCA) and thromboly- tic therapy, by the need to study the vasoactive responses of pharmaceutical agents, and also by the desire to study the progressive nature ofcoronary artery disease with the ultimate goal to find ways to...

In recent years methods have been developed to study cardiac function, myocardial blood flow and myocardial metabolism with radionuclides. These developments have been facilitated through the introduction of new radiopharmaceuticals, the design of special gamma cameras and dedicated computer systems. However, part of the information provided by nuclear cardiology can also be obtained through other investigations such as echocardiography, exercise electrocardiography and cardiac catheterisation with ventriculography and coronary arteriography. Thus the practising physician must select the most...

In the past, coronary arteriography was the only modality available to provide high quality images of the coronary anatomy. Quantitative coronary arteriography (QCA) was developed, implemented, validated and extensively applied to obtain accurate and reproducible data about coronary morphology and the functional significance of coronary obstructions. Over the last few years extensive basic technological research supported by clinical investigations has created competing modalities to visualize coronary morphology and the associated perfusion of the myocardial muscle. Currently, the following...