Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) is an effective alternative to SPECT imaging for diagnosing and planning treatment of stable chest pain, according to study results published December 5 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Results from the Randomized Evaluation of Patients with Stable Angina Comparing Utilization of Noninvasive Examinations (RESCUE) Trial showed that patients with the condition who underwent CCTA as the first diagnostic imaging test showed no difference in outcomes compared with those who underwent SPECT.
The results offer "further evidence in support of a coronary computed tomographic angiography first strategy for the diagnosis and management of patients presenting with symptoms of stable angina," according to a statement released by the American College of Radiology (ACR).
The study was funded by the ACR's American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) Fund for Imaging Innovation and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
![Images show the pectoralis muscles of a healthy male individual who never smoked (age, 66 years; height, 178 cm; body mass index [BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared], 28.4; number of cigarette pack-years, 0; forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], 97.6% predicted; FEV1: forced vital capacity [FVC] ratio, 0.71; pectoralis muscle area [PMA], 59.4 cm2; pectoralis muscle volume [PMV], 764 cm3) and a male individual with a smoking history and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) (age, 66 years; height, 178 cm; BMI, 27.5; number of cigarette pack-years, 43.2, FEV1, 48% predicted; FEV1:FVC, 0.56; PMA, 35 cm2; PMV, 480.8 cm3) from the Canadian Cohort Obstructive Lung Disease (i.e., CanCOLD) study. The CT image is shown in the axial plane. The PMV is automatically extracted using the developed deep learning model and overlayed onto the lungs for visual clarity.](https://img.auntminnie.com/mindful/smg/workspaces/default/uploads/2026/03/genkin.25LqljVF0y.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&crop=focalpoint&dpr=2&fit=crop&h=167&q=70&w=250)
