Letters To The Editor
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World J Cardiol. Apr 26, 2013; 5(4): 115-118
Published online Apr 26, 2013. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v5.i4.115
Evaluation of myocardial infarction patients after coronary revasculation by dual-phase multi-detector computed tomography: Now and in future
Chung-Pin Liu, Yen-Hung Lin, Mao-Shin Lin, Wei-Chun Huang, Shoa-Lin Lin
Chung-Pin Liu, Shoa-Lin Lin, Department of Internal Medicine, Yuan’s General Hospital, Kaohsiung 802, Taiwan
Yen-Hung Lin, Mao-Shin Lin, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 112, Taiwan
Wei-Chun Huang, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung 802, Taiwan
Wei-Chun Huang, Shoa-Lin Lin, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
Shoa-Lin Lin, Department of Internal Medicine, National Defense Medicine College, Taipei 114, Taiwan
Author contributions: Liu CP reviewed the literature and wrote the manuscript; Lin YH, Lin MS and Huang WC discussed the topic; Lin SL revised the manuscript and supervised the preparation of this commentary.
Correspondence to: Shoa-Lin Lin, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Yuan’s General Hospital, Kaohsiung City, No. 162, Cheng-gong 1st Road, Lingya Dist., Kaohsiung 802, Taiwan. lingoodman@yahoo.com.tw
Telephone: +886-7-3351121 Fax: +886-7-2691506
Received: December 19, 2012
Revised: February 19, 2013
Accepted: March 21, 2013
Published online: April 26, 2013
Processing time: 129 Days and 2.3 Hours
Abstract

Multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) has become one of the major tools in diagnosing and evaluating patients with coronary artery disease in recent years. In selected patients, MDCT has been shown to provide more reliable accuracy in detection of stent patency than invasive coronary angiography. Chiou et al reported a delicate infarcted myocardium at-risk score. According to their results, the MDCT-based myocardium at-risk score had a good correlation with the thallium 201 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction-based summed difference score (r = 0.841, P < 0.001). They claimed that dual-phase MDCT is useful in detecting different patterns of obstructive lesions and the extent of myocardium at risk. In this commentary, we discuss the current status of the clinical application of MDCT in patients with myocardial infarction in relation to evaluating the myocardial perfusion defect, detecting reversible myocardial ischemia, assessing myocardial viability, estimating target lesion restenosis, and calculating of fractional flow reserve from MDCT.

Keywords: Coronary artery disease, Fractional flow reserve, Multidetector-row computed tomography, Myocardial infarction

Core tip: Chiou et al reported that dual-phase multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) is useful in detecting different patterns of obstructive lesions and the extent of myocardium at risk. In this commentary, we discuss the current status of the clinical application of MDCT in patients with myocardial infarction in relation to evaluating the myocardial perfusion defect, detecting reversible myocardial ischemia, assessing myocardial viability, estimating target lesion restenosis, and calculating of fractional flow reserve from MDCT.