Image Corner: Looking at the Heart and Beyond

These images were captured by the SOMATOM Force (Siemens Healthcare) computed tomography (CT) system. It features two sets of x-ray tubes and detectors for enhanced imaging of all patients, including young children, patients with renal insufficiency, and 

those who cannot hold their breath. Due to its low-kV imaging technique, SOMATOM Force broadens CT’s application for patients with renal insufficiency and offers an acquisition speed of 737 mm/sec, so an entire adult chest, abdomen, and pelvis study can be done in one second with no breath holds. In cardiac imaging, SOMATOM Force can obtain an entire study within one-quarter of a heartbeat at a temporal resolution of 66 msec, which is the speed required to freeze the fastest-moving anatomy, such as the right coronary artery.   

Thank you to St. Elizabeth Health System, Kentucky, for sharing their images with readers.