Until recently, multidetector computed tomography (CT) represented an interesting but incremental change in the way CT was performed. However, with the advent of 64-detector row scanner^, CT has taken a huge, if not revolutionary, step into the future of medical imaging. Earlier generations of multidetector CT scanners (enabling the acquisition of two to 16 sections) could achieve faster scanning speeds or higher z-axis resolution at traditional helical CT speeds. Extreme multidetector CT scanners enabling the acquisition of 64 or more sections can produce isotropic spatial resolution while simultaneously delivering exceptional temporal resolution (sufficient for cardiac imaging) with excellent z-axis coverage (4-8 cm/sec).
In this editorial, I address the opportunities that extreme multidetector CT offers, the challenges that those of us in the radiology community face in using this technology, and the concerns that extreme multidetector CT raises regarding radiation exposure to patients.