ABSTRACT
Adequate knowledge about artifacts is necessary to prevent their generation, or if they do occur should help to identify and interpret the artifact. In the following paragraphs temporal, spatial, and contrast resolution, and other parameters are discussed. Temporal resolution is of paramount importance in imaging of moving organs. Beam-hardening artifacts occur when the radiation is completely absorbed by an object with extremely high attenuation. The effect can be compared to a shield for the X-ray beam. The classification of artifacts in coronary computed tomography (CT) can be based on the physics that create the artifact, on the source of the artifact, or on the appearance of the artifacts. Finally, one should be aware that artifacts are always present in CT imaging, related to the basics of the CT technique, while in cardiac CT imaging, there are the additional cardiac contraction motion artifacts.
