Cardiac CT in the emergency department.
Current triage strategies are not effective in correctly identifying patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The diagnostic workup of patients presenting with acute chest pain continues to represent a major challenge for emergency department (ED) personnel. This statement holds especially true for patients with a low to intermediate likelihood for ACS. Taking current concepts for the diagnosis and management of patients presenting with acute chest pain to the ED into account, this article discusses the evidence and potential role of coronary computed tomography angiography to improve management of patients with possible ACS.
Cardiac MR PET CT Program, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, 165 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Harald
H
Seifarth
Christopher L
CL
Schlett
Quynh A
QA
Truong
Udo
U
Hoffmann
D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014218:Triage / Q000379:methods