title: Cardiac imaging to investigate suspected cardiac pain in the post-treadmill era.
abstract: Symptomatic cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of hospital admissions in the UK; along with emergency attendances, over 100,000 patients are investigated using treadmill testing via rapid access chest pain clinics each year. With the introduction of new technologies, clinicians have a wide choice of investigations including nuclear perfusion scanning, dobutamine stress echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography and stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. These imaging modalities have their strengths and weaknesses, which depend not only on the pre-test likelihood of significant coronary artery disease but also the clinical characteristics of the patient. This article will review the differing imaging modalities, the patient experience, accuracy, prognostic data and future prospects for cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, UK ogosling@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Oliver E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Gosling
authors.affiliation: South West Cardiothoracic Centre, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morgan-Hughes
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Royal Devon & Exeter Foundation NHS Trust, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: Nick G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Bellenger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D057791:Cardiac Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Ischaemic heart disease; cardiac CT; cardiac MRI.