Myocardial Stress Perfusion with a Novel Dual-Source CT Scanner – Technical Update and Initial Clinical Experience

Traditionally, myocardial perfusion imaging by CT has been hampered by limited detector size and stability of Hounsfield Units in moving cardiac acquisition modes. In the present article, we describe the technical principles of a novel, dynamic heart shuttle scan acquisition using a second generation dual source CT system (SOMATOM Definition Flash, Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany). With simultaneous injection of iodinated contrast agent, this protocol allows for sequential assessment of myocardial enhancement with reasonable radiation exposure of less than 10 mSv. We also present the case of a 69-year-old male patient who underwent dynamic CT-based myocardial perfusion imaging to determine the hemodynamic relevance of a stenosis in the left anterior descending coronary artery.