Coronary CT Angiography (CCTA)

Contrast-enhanced coronary CT angiography on the Siemens Somatom Perspective 128-slice scanner to visualise coronary artery anatomy and detect stenosis non-invasively. ECG-gated, contrast required (billed separately at €24.50 base).

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) at AGEL Rádiológia provides non-invasive visualisation of the coronary arteries — the left main, left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary artery — using contrast-enhanced ECG-gated CT on the 128-slice Siemens Somatom Perspective. The examination images the coronary lumen and vessel wall in sufficient detail to detect and characterise stenosis (narrowing), calcified plaque, non-calcified (soft) plaque, and coronary anomalies without the need for catheterisation. The Siemens Somatom Perspective 128-slice configuration supports the ECG-gated protocols required for coronary imaging: cardiac cycle synchronisation eliminates the motion blur that makes coronary vessels indistinct on standard non-gated CT. For optimal image quality, resting heart rate ideally should be below 65 beats per minute at the time of acquisition; beta-blocker preparation may be recommended by the referring physician when the patient's resting rate is higher, ensuring consistent cardiac motion suppression. Contrast agent is administered intravenously via a high-pressure automated injector, timed to the arterial phase of coronary circulation. The contrast agent is billed separately at €24.50 base charge plus a volume-dependent component, as per the facility's standard contrast pricing. Patients with iodinated contrast allergy history require pre-medication arranged in advance. Renal function screening is carried out for patients with known kidney disease. CCTA has a very high negative predictive value for significant coronary artery disease (defined as stenosis ≥50%). A normal or near-normal CCTA in a patient with chest pain or atypical cardiac symptoms effectively excludes significant coronary disease and is recognised by the European Society of Cardiology guidelines as the preferred first-line investigation for stable chest pain in patients with low-to-intermediate pre-test probability — avoiding the procedural risk, cost, and recovery associated with invasive catheter angiography in the majority of patients where disease is absent or mild. AGEL Rádiológia's radiologist team brings cardiothoracic imaging experience to the reporting of CCTA, with systematic per-segment stenosis grading across each coronary territory and plaque characterisation. The examination complements the coronary calcium score (available as a separate or combined study) — the CAC establishes overall calcification burden, while CCTA provides the anatomical detail required when the CAC score is elevated or symptoms require direct coronary assessment. Results with CD images are delivered within approximately seven working days; urgent findings are communicated to the referring physician.