CT Coronary Angiography

Non-invasive contrast-enhanced cardiac CT (coroscanner) that maps the coronary arteries in three dimensions to detect stenosis, soft plaques, calcified lesions, and vessel anomalies — without catheter insertion.

CT coronary angiography — referred to as coroscanner in French clinical practice — uses a multi-slice CT scanner to capture high-resolution three-dimensional images of the coronary arterial tree during a brief intravenous contrast injection. Unlike a conventional cardiac catheterisation, no catheter is inserted and no arterial puncture is made; the patient receives an intravenous cannula in the antecubital vein, contrast flows through the coronary circulation, and the scanner acquires the images in a single cardiac cycle while the patient holds their breath. The technique detects both calcified plaques — already identifiable on a calcium score scan — and non-calcified, lipid-rich plaques that are invisible to calcium scoring alone. These soft plaques carry the highest rupture risk and are responsible for the majority of acute myocardial infarctions, including those that occur in individuals with an only mildly elevated calcium score. CT coronary angiography is therefore a more complete risk assessment than calcium scoring in isolation and is the appropriate next investigation for patients whose calcium score falls in the intermediate range or whose symptoms suggest possible coronary artery disease. Following image acquisition, the radiologist processes the dataset using multi-planar and three-dimensional reconstructions. Each major coronary artery — left main, left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary — is evaluated along its entire length. Any stenosis is graded by its percentage luminal reduction and its composition (calcified, mixed, or non-calcified). Coronary anomalies, dominant vessel patterns, and incidental extracardiac findings are also reported. At Imagerie Médicale des Deux Rives, the coroscanner is performed within the same outpatient centre as other CT modalities, with a team of 44 specialist radiologists. The examination is offered as a standalone investigation and may be combined with a calcium score in the same session — a common approach that provides both the total plaque-burden metric and the anatomical lesion map. Patients should avoid caffeine and strenuous exercise for several hours before the appointment. Current kidney function values (creatinine, no older than three months) are required before contrast administration; those taking metformin should confirm the discontinuation protocol with the booking team. A GP or specialist prescription is required to access the service. International self-pay patients pay the Sector 1 CCAM tariff directly. Total appointment time is approximately 45 to 60 minutes including preparation and registration. Results are issued digitally the same day.