This chapter, found in the chest pain section of the book, provides a succinct synopsis of a key study examining the use of computed tomography (CT) angiography for triaging patients with acute chest pain. This summary outlines the study methodology and design, major results, limitations and criticisms, related studies and additional information, and clinical implications. The study showed that for patients presenting to the emergency department with symptoms suggesting acute coronary syndromes, incorporating early coronary CT angiography into the triage strategy improves diagnostic efficiency, with more direct discharges from the emergency department and shorter lengths of stay for those admitted. In addition to outlining the most salient features of the study, a clinical vignette and imaging example are included in order to provide relevant clinical context.
High-Risk Plaque Detected on Coronary CT Angiography Predicts Acute Coronary Syndromes Independent of Significant Stenosis in Acute Chest Pain
