Dear AuntMinnie Member,
A new study from Europe has confirmed what might seem obvious -- when it comes to coronary CT angiography, more slices are better.
Researchers from Belgium and the Netherlands conducted a meta-analysis of coronary CTA research studies to find out whether scanners with more slices performed better than those with fewer. Staff writer Eric Barnes describes their findings in a new article we're featuring this week in the CT Digital Community.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the group found that coronary CTA performed on 64-slice scanners had higher sensitivity than when done on scanners with 16 or four slices. The premium systems lost their edge in specificity, however, with 64-slice units recording the same specificity ratings as 16-slice models, and only slightly higher ratings than four-slice scanners. Get the rest of the details by clicking here.
Another featured article describes the work of researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, who have developed a virtual surgery technique based on CT data for use as a planning tool in patients with pancreatic cancer. Called the virtual Whipple, the radiologists believe it can help them give their surgeons better information to avoid substantial risks before the surgery starts.
Find out how to do the virtual Whipple by clicking here, or visit our CT Digital Community at http://ct.auntminnie.com/.
