OBJECTIVES: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) scanners have advanced patient care by providing cardiologists with the latest in imaging technology. When deciding to purchase a CTA scanner, practices must evaluate the economic feasibility of ownership in terms of both fixed (eg, equipment and facility costs) and variable costs (ie, consumables costs). The objective of this study was to provide cardiology practices with a comprehensive cost estimate for the cost of consumables incurred for CTA procedure. METHODS: Practice patterns from a large cardiology practice were evaluated for all CTA procedures over an eight-month timeframe. The various consumables utilized for CTA procedures were captured and classified into three main categories: contrast media, drugs, and medical supplies. The average utilization of each consumable was then evaluated, and the unit acquisition cost for each consumable was applied to quantify the average cost of consumables per CTA procedure. RESULTS: From January 2006 through August 2006, data from 3119 procedures were evaluated. The average cost of consumables per procedure incurred by the practice was $83.31. Of this cost, $32.55 was incurred for contrast medium. Additionally, $9.91 was the average cost per procedure incurred for drugs such as beta blockers, solu-medrol, diphenhydramine, intravenous fluids, nitrolingual spray, and antiemetics. The largest component of consumables was medical supplies (eg, syringes, needles, tubing, cannulae, intravenous catheter, dressing/bandages, table paper, gloves, alcohol pads, etc), which cost the institution an average of $40.85 per procedure. CONCLUSION: When evaluating the economic feasibility of operating a CTA scanner, cardiology practices can expect to incur an average of $83.31 per procedure for consumables.