Evaluation of ischemic heart disease with a prototype volume imaging computed tomographic (CT) scanner: preliminary experiments.

A prototype synchronous volumetric computed tomographic X-ray scanner was used to demonstrate, in individual experiments, the possibility of estimating percent coronary arterial stenosis, regional myocardial blood supply and regional myocardial wall dynamics. Scans were obtained during angiography in intact anesthetized dogs or in an isolated metabolically supported working left ventricular preparation. Percent arterial stenosis was quantitated using the percent change in brightness area product of successive cross-sectional images of contrast agent-filled Tygon tubing sutured to the epicardium. Myocardial blood supply was evaluated by the transmural and circumferential extent and th time rate of change of myocardial opacification during coronary angiography. The regional time rate of change of left ventricular wall thickening during the systolic phase of the cardiac cycle was demonstrated in the isolated ventricle preparation. The recently installed Dynamic Spatial Reconstructor high speed volumetric scanning system will be used to make these measurements from scan data obtained during a single angiogram in man.