Practical Geriatrics ›› 2025, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (12): 1189-1194.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1003-9198.2025.12.001

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Application of photon-counting CT in elderly patients with coronary artery disease

HU Qiuju, LUO Song   

  1. Department of Radiology, Geriatric Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210024, China
  • Received:2025-09-12 Published:2025-12-26
  • Contact: LUO Song, Email: hnldls@163.com

Abstract: Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease is the leading cause of disability and death among the elderly adults in China. Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is an important imaging technique for evaluating coronary atherosclerotic plaques. However, in elderly patients, coronary lesions often present as diffuse multi-vessel diseases, severe calcification burden, and vulnerable plaques that are difficult to identify. Additionally, elderly patients are more susceptible to contrast-induced nephrotoxicity, and the higher prevalence of coronary stents and cardiac pacemakers limit the application of conventional energy-integrating detector-based CCTA in this population. Photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) represents a major breakthrough in CT imaging over the past decade. Its ultra-high spatial resolution significantly improves the assessment of coronary atherosclerotic plaques, offering a new technological approach to address the aforementioned clinical challenges. This article provides a systematic review of the key technical features of PCCT, discusses its application value in the precise diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart disease in the elderly, and offers insights into future research directions, aiming to promote the better application of PCCT in the diagnosis and management of coronary heart disease in the elderly.

Key words: photon-counting CT, coronary computed tomography angiography, coronary artery disease

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