CT coronary angiography clarifies diagnosis in suspected angina, study shows

Coronary angiography by computed tomography clarifies the diagnosis in patients with suspected angina and helps identify those who will benefit from interventions that might reduce their subsequent risk of myocardial infarction, shows the first study to systematically investigate this approach.

The SCOT-HEART study, reported in the Lancet, included 4146 patients with suspected angina referred to 12 cardiology chest pain clinics across Scotland.1 All patients underwent routine diagnostic assessment and investigations at baseline and were then randomised to coronary calcium score and CT coronary angiography plus standard care or to standard care alone to reassess the diagnosis after six …