CT angiography after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

CT angiography is an emerging technique for the noninvasive assessment of coronary artery disease. The diagnostic performance of different generation CT scanners has been investigated for the detection of significant stenosis (≥ 50% lumen diameter reduction) in patients after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). The temporal and spatial resolution of CT scanners are important determinants for reliable evaluation of bypass grafts and native coronary arteries. Important drawbacks of 64-slice CT angiography remain the evaluation of severely calcified native coronary segments and distal graft anastomosis site. Future developments in the latest CT scanners head toward the use of wider detectors and improved coverage, which may be relevant in post-CABG patients. Despite technical advances, the role of CT angiography in the follow-up of patients after bypass surgery has not yet been established.