Conventional coronary angiography is the undisputed gold standard in coronary lumenography. The small but serious risk involved in the procedure, the cost, and the necessary radiation dose have triggered the development of noninvasive alternatives such as electron-beam computed tomography, multi-slice computed tomography, and magnetic resonance coronary angiography. This paper will discuss the background, benefits and drawbacks of these imaging modalities with respect to the coronary arteries. Evolution in techniques and increase in sensitivity and specificity are clearly seen in all imaging modalities, thus increasing the clinical relevance and the ability to replace conventional coronary angiography.