New developments in atherosclerosis imaging: electron beam tomography.

Recently published data have greatly expanded the applicability of electron beam tomography (EBT) and electron beam angiography (EBA). The prognostic power of coronary artery calcium scoring for cardiac events and associated obstructive disease far surpasses that of conventional risk factors, and will increasingly be incorporated into risk assessment and treatment guidelines. EBT leads to the identification of treatable, non-low-density lipoprotein metabolic disorders that contribute to plaque formation, and to appropriate selection of stress test candidates. Change in calcium score can be used to assess the efficacy of lipid therapy and will serve as a surrogate marker in drug studies. EBA provides effective, noninvasive visualization of native coronary arteries and bypass grafts.