Purpose: To compare the performance of 64-slice with 16-slice CT scanners for the in vitro evaluation of coronary artery stents.
Methods and materials: Twelve different coronary artery stents were placed in the drillings of a combined heart and chest phantom, which was scanned with a 16- and 64-slice CT scanner. Coronal reformations were evaluated for artificial lumen narrowing, intraluminal attenuation values, and false widening of the outer stent diameter as an indicator of artifacts outside the stent.
Results: Mean artificial lumen narrowing was not significantly different between the 16- and 64-slice CT scanner (44% versus 39%; p=0.408). The differences between the Hounsfield Units (HU) measurements inside and outside the stents were significantly lower (p=0.001) with 64- compared to 16-slice CT. The standard deviation of the HU measurements inside the stents was significantly (p=0.002) lower with 64- than with 16-slice CT. Artifacts outside the stents were not significantly different between the scanners (p=0.866).
Conclusion: Visualization of the in-stent lumen is improved with 64-slice CT when compared with 16-slice CT as quantified by significantly lesser intraluminal image noise and less artificial rise in intraluminal HU measurement, which is the most important parameter for the evaluation of stent patency in vivo.