A cardiologist, he is among the growing number of physicians who have invested in the hottest nonsurgical voluntary procedure around: full-body electron beam tomography.

Researchers studied 505 asymptomatic patients on statin therapy who had their arteries examined by electron beam tomography, which produces a picture of arterial plaque.

Imatron produced an Electron beam tomography (EBT) scanner that performs imaging applications used by physicians specializing in cardiology, pulmonology and gastroenterology.

Electron beam tomography (EBT) is a specific form of computed tomography (CAT or CT) in which the X-ray tube is not mechanically spun in order to rotate the source of X-ray photons.

In conventional CT machines, an X-ray tube and detector are physically rotated behind a circular shroud (see the image above right); in the electron beam tomography (EBT), the tube is far larger and higher power to support the high temporal resolution.

The calcification deposits, after they have become sufficiently advanced, are partially visible on coronary artery computed tomography or electron beam tomography (EBT) as rings of increased radiographic density, forming halos around the outer edges of the atheromatous plaques, within the artery wall.

Electron beam tomography (EBT) is a specific form of CT in which a large enough X-ray tube is constructed so that only the path of the electrons, travelling between the cathode and anode of the X-ray tube, are spun using deflection coils.