CT Coronary Angiography

Non-invasive contrast-enhanced CT visualisation of the coronary arteries to detect stenosis and atherosclerosis without catheter insertion. Conradia Hamburg describes this as providing greater risk accuracy than traditional clinical tests. Recommended when personal risk profile or symptoms indicate possible coronary artery disease.

CT coronary angiography (CCTA) at Conradia Hamburg provides non-invasive imaging of the coronary arteries using contrast-enhanced multi-slice CT. Conradia's clinical description states that the technique allows detection of narrowing of the coronary blood vessels — which may lead to a heart attack — at an early stage or exclusion of disease entirely, and that it determines individual cardiovascular risk with greater accuracy than traditional clinical tests such as stress ECG or exercise tolerance testing. The examination uses intravenous contrast injected at a carefully timed rate to opacify the coronary lumen during acquisition. ECG gating synchronises image acquisition with the cardiac cycle to eliminate motion artefact and produce sharp coronary images. When resting heart rate is elevated, beta-blocker preparation may be recommended before the scan to optimise image quality. Total visit time including preparation, contrast administration, and imaging is approximately 30–45 minutes. CCTA has a very high negative predictive value — a normal result effectively excludes significant coronary artery disease in patients with chest pain, exertional dyspnoea, or intermediate pre-test probability. European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend CCTA as a first-line investigation for stable chest pain in patients with low-to-moderate pre-test probability, avoiding the procedural risks, additional radiation dose, and cost of invasive catheter angiography for the majority of patients in whom obstructive disease is absent or mild. At Conradia Hamburg, the CCTA examination is supported by specialist radiologists with cardiovascular imaging expertise. Reports include systematic per-segment stenosis grading across each coronary territory, plaque characterisation (calcified, non-calcified, mixed), and an overall clinical summary. Findings are discussed with the attending physician. The examination can be combined with coronary artery calcium scoring (CAC) in the same session, providing both quantitative plaque burden and direct anatomical assessment of the coronary lumen. The service is bookable as an individual additional service or as part of a check-up programme. No physician referral is required for self-pay patients. The examination is available in German and English; free underground parking at Falkenried 88. Advance booking required.