Sudden death and physical exercise: timely diagnosis of congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries with the new 320-slide multi-detector computed tomography.

Congenital abnormalities of the coronary arteries here described are an uncommon form of structural heart disease. Nevertheless, they deserve attention because may cause chest pain and, in some cases, sudden cardiac death even during exercise. Traditional angiography has limitations due to its projectional and invasive nature. The recent development of the 320-slide multi-detector computer tomography with low radiation exposure has the potential to modify the current diagnostic work-up, as it allows even in young people a timely identification of clinical significant coronary anomalies minimizing the risks related to radiation exposure.