{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,30]],"date-time":"2026-10-30T16:31:52Z","timestamp":1793377912906,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"Saudi Heart Association","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]],"date-time":"2026-05-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1778284800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Journal of the Saudi Heart Association"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Objective: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a cornerstone in the assessment of coronary artery disease. Despite technological advancements, balancing radiation does with diagnostic image quality remains a challenge. This study evaluates whether assessing preliminary non-enhanced CT scans allows for the optimization of CCTA gating protocols to enhance image quality and minimize radiation exposure.\nMethods: We prospectively analyzed 150 patients undergoing CCTA on a 256-slice scanner. Non-enhanced scans were used to identify motion artifacts or anatomical challenges. Based on these findings, a specific gating protocol (prospective, prospective with padding, or retrospective) was selected. This cohort was compared to a control group of 150 standard CCTAs performed without protocol pre-selection. Image quality was assessed on a four-point scale, and radiation doses were recorded.\nResults: The mean patient age was 49 years, with a mean heart rate (HR) of 62 \u00b1 14 beats per minute (bpm). Subjective image quality was significantly higher in the pre-selection group, particularly for patients with HR &gt; 65 bpm (3.5 \u00b1 0.5 vs. 2.8 \u00b1 0.8; p = 0.06). The mean radiation dose was significantly lower in the pre-selection group (4.9 \u00b1 1.4 vs. 7.5 \u00b1 1.8 mSv; p &lt; 0.01). Furthermore, the requirement for high-radiation protocols (padding or retrospective gating) was reduced by 50% in the pre-selection group (14\/150 vs. 28\/150 scans).\nConclusion: Utilizing non-enhanced CT scans to tailor 256-slice CCTA protocols significantly improves image quality and reduces radiation exposure. This strategy offers a more personalized approach to cardiac imaging and should be considered for routine clinical practice.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.37616\/2212-5043.1496","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,20]],"date-time":"2026-05-20T08:15:39Z","timestamp":1779264939000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Value of the non-enhanced cardiac computed tomography scan analysis in determination of the appropriate coronary CT angiography scan protocol Improving image quality while minimizing radiation"],"prefix":"10.37616","volume":"38","author":[{"given":"Osama A","family":"Smettei","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology department, Western University, London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario, Canada."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sawsan A","family":"Sayed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology department, Prince Sultan Cardiac Center, Saudi Arabia."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":". Fatin M","family":"Ahmed","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology department, Prince Sultan Cardiac Center, Saudi Arabia."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tawfeeq H","family":"Alharbi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology department, Prince Sultan Cardiac Center, Saudi Arabia."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohammed","family":"Saied","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology department, Prince Sultan Cardiac Center, Saudi Arabia."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rami M","family":"Abazid","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cardiology department, Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) University, Sault Area Hospital, Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"24531","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]]},"container-title":["Journal of the Saudi Heart Association"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,30]],"date-time":"2026-10-30T15:35:48Z","timestamp":1793374548000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.j-saudi-heart.com\/jsha\/vol38\/iss2\/4"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.37616\/2212-5043.1496","relation":{},"ISSN":["2212-5043"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2212-5043","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]]}}}