Diagnostic accuracy for coronary artery disease of multislice CT scanners in comparison to conventional coronary angiography: An integrative literature review

Purpose: To examine the quality of cardiac imaging done by multislice computed tomography (MSCT) and its ability to correctly identify significantly occluded segments of coronary arteries compared with quantitative coronary angiography. Data sources: Databases searched were CINAHL, MEDLINE, EBSCO, Academic Search Premier, and Web of Science and Health Source: Nursing/Academic edition. Keywords used were "Computed Tomography," "Coronar* Angiogra*," and "Coronary Artery Disease." Studies from peer-reviewed journals published from 2002 to 2008 that compared quantitative coronary angiography to MSCT were evaluated. Additional sources were identified from review of reference lists from articles found in the electronic search. Conclusions: MSCT was best employed to screen for the absence of disease in patients who were in sinus rhythm, who had no previous bypass grafts or stents placed, had a low risk of calcifications, and who were not obese. Both 40- and 64-slice technology demonstrated the highest accuracy in screening for the absence of disease on a vessel-based analysis. Implications for Practice: Those who have multiple risk factors and are asymptomatic should still be screened via catheterization. More studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of newer 64-slice technology as a tool to positively identify CAD.