Computed Tomography

With superb myocardial and coronary anatomical studies, CT helps you diagnose cardiac disease, plan interventional procedures and provide detailed follow-up.

Diagnostic coronary CT angiography may be considered a non-invasive alternative to invasive diagnostic catheter angiography
Advanced cardiac acquisition and reconstruction technologies deliver exceptional image quality
Improved workflow makes CT the smart choice for physician and patient

An insightful alternative
Traditional stress tests (pharmacological and exercise tolerance) often don’t detect abnormalities in the coronary vessels unless a blockage is severe. Questionable results lead to a diagnostic catheterization procedure - the findings of which may be normal.

For a significant number of patients who are at moderate to high risk but show inconclusive stress test results, a coronary CTA exam with our Philips Brilliance CVCT system could help…

Eliminate additional expensive, invasive diagnostic procedures or
Determine the need for corrective treatment

“The huge benefit of CT technology is that we can identify hard and soft plaque in those patients who have less than 70% blockage,” says Dr. Ken Kronhaus, Director of Lake Cardiology in Mount Dora, Florida. “I can now get in early to stabilize that plaque.”

Our Rate Responsive CVCT technologies make this possible.

Acquisition Technologies
New acquisition technologies can help you overcome the many challenges that unpredictable heartbeat rhythms present.

R wave tagging algorithm – Advanced AccuTag algorithms enables a more accurate “tag” of the heart. R wave detection is extremely precise, even with arrhythmic patients.
Adaptive pitch selection – Matches the patient heart rate for optimal spatial resolution. Selected after the ECG has scanned the patient’s heart rate, it optimizes the pitch to gain the best images for reconstruction.
Data acquired when heart is most at rest – The Beat-to-Beat variable gating algorithm adjusts dynamically to identify the identical physiological state of the heart, from one cardiac cycle to the next; the most stable phase(s) of the cardiac cycle are automatically targeted.

Reconstruction Technologies
Image reconstruction is rate responsive as well.

MaxCycle – This adaptive, multi-cycle cone beam reconstruction algorithm uses the patient’s ECG information to automatically identify the optimal number of cardiac cycles. This capability automatically adjusts the number of cardiac cycles, which are reconstructed to optimize the temporal resolution continuously throughout the scan.
3D Cone Beam Reconstruction - This reconstruction algorithm uses the entire 3D cone beam of imaging - with back projection for improved image clarity.
RapidView - Reconstructs cardiac data sets - even remotely – at the rate of 10-20 images per second.

Simplify and Analyze
With our Brilliance Workspace you can select pre-programmed procedures, scanning protocols, reconstruction parameters, archiving destination and image processing functions at the touch of a button.

Add a robust suite of analysis applications and our Brilliance CVCT system stands as an effective and efficient cardiovascular tool.

For interventionalists looking outside the heart these CT technologies are also ideal for carotids and peripheral run-off exams (aorta, renals, iliacs, etc.).

Learn more:

+ Cardiovascular CT
+ Cardiovascular Applications

+ View 'Cardiovascular' portfolio

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Accurate and non-invasive

"If you see no significant arterial blockage when you do a CT angiography of the coronary arteries, you can be certain that the finding is 99% accurate*. For a non-invasive test anywhere in medicine, that’s a remarkable result."

- Dr. Ken Kronhaus, Director, Lake Cardiology, Mount Dora, Florida USA

* JAMA 2005; 293:2471-2478

Safer, faster interventions

"I expect it will become routine for the majority of patients requiring initial anatomical definition of their coronary artery tree to go the CT route. And once there, we will be able to efficiently plan safer and faster interventions for those patients who need it."

- John Carroll, MD, Director,

Cardiac & Vascular Center

University of Colorado Hospital

Denver Colorado, USA