"Radiation dose to the breast during coronary CT is especially a concern for young women as the dose may increase the risk for breast cancer... Physicians are working diligently to reduce the patient dose," explained Ethan Halpern, associate professor of radiology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, PA).
During their study, Halpern and colleagues retrospectively reviewed 100 consecutive coronary CT angiography images that were obtained with a 64-detector helical scanner. They evaluated sagittal images to: a) define the position of the breasts and the gantry angulation required to perform a CT examination parallel to the long axis of the heart; and b) determine the reduction in breast exposure to radiation that might be accomplished by imaging the heart with an angled-gantry acquisition.
The standard axial imaging plane for coronary CT angiography required a 6.5 cm±1.8 cm overlap with the lower breast. The overlap with the lower breast using the angled scan was reduced in half to 3.2 cm±1.6 cm (P<0.001).
"Angled gantry is a feasible technique for coronary CT angiography that reduces radiation exposure to the breast by 50%," noted Halpern. "These results warrant the development of machines that can perform this technique."