title: Role of imaging for acute chest pain syndromes.
abstract: Acute chest pain suggestive of ischemic cardiac origin, with a normal or nondiagnostic electrocardiogram and negative initial cardiac markers for myocardial necrosis represent a significant diagnostic dilemma for clinicians. Multiple imaging modalities play a pivotal role in early diagnosis and safe discharge of these patients. In this review, we compare the current imaging modalities available for these patients including their diagnostic accuracy, feasibility, and cost effectiveness. Acute rest myocardial perfusion imaging significantly improves the clinical outcome in these patients and reduces the overall cost when incorporated into the decision making pathway. The choice of imaging modality recommended should be based on local institutional expertise and the overall clinical presentation. The imaging modality with high diagnostic accuracy and negative predictive value will provide for precise risk stratification which is important to clinical decision making, including patients who require admission to the hospital and those who can be safely discharged.
authors: Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
authors: Abhijit
authors: A
authors: Ghatak
authors: Robert C
authors: RC
authors: Hendel
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009683:Nuclear Medicine; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging