Post-mortem CT-coronary angiography

 

Despite the large number of people who die from complications to coronary atherosclerosis, the method of investigation of the coronary arteries has remained virtually unchanged since the time of Virchow. In this article we will present a method for investigation of the coronary arteries using post-mortem coronary angiography and computerized tomography.  We describe how to prepare and inject the contrast medium, and how to establish a CT-protocol that optimizes spatial resolution, low contrast resolution and noise level. Testing of the method on 6 hearts, showed that the lumen of the coronary arteries could be visualized, including small side vessels normally not investigated at the routine investigation. Absolute and relative values for the degree of stenosis could be obtained, but it was not possible to distinguish vulnerable plaques from fibrotic plaques.