Applying cardiac CT to the evaluation of patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain at low to intermediate risk of acute coronary syndrome saved money in both the initial diagnosis and over a one-year period, according to a decision analytic model published in the January issue of Academic Radiology.

Allowing physicians to choose a stress test modality for lower-risk patients presenting at an emergency department with chest pain was more cost-effective than mandating a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) stress test, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging. In an observation unit (OU), provider choice care resulted in similar results as CMR-mandated care, with a lower price tag.

The clinical profile of stress cardiomyopathy (SC) may be broader than expected, including men, younger patients and patients without an identifiable stressful trigger. Cardiovascular MR (CMR) imaging could help rule out SC at presentation by providing helpful diagnostic information that can verify relevant functional and tissue changes, according to a study published in the July 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA)-based triage of low-risk patients with acute chest pain in the emergency department might reduce invasive catheterizations, could improve survival and may save money, based on a study in the American Journal of Roentgenology.