Although the technological advances in transmission computed tomography (CT) have been dramatic, cardiovascular applications of CT are currently limited by inadequate temporal resolution to resolve moving structures (e.g., the myocardium), difficulties in timing the scan exposure to coincide with maximum contrast en-hancement of vascular structures and cardiac chambers, and limited field of view perpendicular to the axial plane. The modes of cardiac CT operation are reviewed: static (single scan), dynamic (multiple scans in rapid succession), gated and rapid (scans <500 msec). Modest improvements in gated and dynamic scanning are expected with existing technology and optimization of reconstruction algorithms. Future advances in CT technology should be directed toward the development of rapid scanning systems for imaging the myocardium and toward higher resolution scanners for imaging vascular structures.