Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Coronary CT angiography can be used to effectively triage patients who present to the emergency department with chest pain, according to a new study presented at this week's American Heart Association (AHA) annual meeting.
Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital presented a study in which CT found no evidence of disease in half of patients presenting to the ED with symptoms that could be a sign of a heart attack. These patients were able to be discharged safely, sparing them from additional testing and saving money for the healthcare system, according to the study. Get more details by clicking here.
In another AHA presentation, Italian researchers report on how coronary calcium scans may not be effective predictors of risk in younger patients. Their autopsy study found that younger patients can suffer heart attacks even though they have no signs of coronary artery calcium, which signals a risk of heart blockages that can lead to a coronary event. Learn about that story by clicking here.
ASE statement on echo
In other news, the American Society of Echocardiography late last week released a consensus statement on the use of echo contrast agents, which have been linked to adverse events, including death, in some patients. The statement is designed to give clinicians guidance on when and in what types of patients echo contrast should be used; the statement also details when contrast is contraindicated.
Find out when echo contrast is safe by clicking here, or visit our Cardiac Imaging Digital Community at cardiac.auntminnie.com. We'll be featuring additional coverage from the AHA show later in the week.
Nuclear medicine reverses decline
Finally, in our Molecular Imaging Digital Community we're featuring a story on a rebound in nuclear medicine procedure volume in 2007. A new market research report finds that the number of procedures edged up 3% last year, reversing a 12% decline in volume in 2006. The gain could be short-lived, however -- find out why by clicking here, or visit the community at molecular.auntminnie.com.
