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Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is an effective tool for determining the risk of heart attacks and other adverse cardiac events in patients with suspected coronary artery disease but no treatable risk factors, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-ct-angiography-heart.html Cardiology Tue, 19 Feb 2013 04:00:01 EST news280468244 Researchers using a newly approved advanced computed tomography (CT) system were able to significantly reduce radiation exposure in patients undergoing coronary CT angiography (CCTA), according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-01-second-generation-ct-scanner-substantially-exposure.html Cancer Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:10:02 EST news278852152 A non-invasive imaging strategy which integrates non-invasive CT angiography (CTA) and CT myocardial perfusion imaging (CTP) has robust diagnostic accuracy for identifying patients with flow-limiting coronary artery disease in need of myocardial revascularisation, according to results of the CORE320 study presented here today by Dr Joao AC Lima from Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, USA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-ct-angiography-perfusion-coronary-artery.html Cardiology Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:03:55 EST news265370627 Among patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease, use of a method that applies computational fluid dynamics to derive certain data from computed tomographic (CT) angiography demonstrated improved diagnostic accuracy vs. CT angiography alone for the diagnosis of ischemia, according to a study being published online by JAMA. The study is being released early to coincide with its presentation at the European Society of Cardiology Congress. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-diagnostic-potential-noninvasively-significant-coronary.html Cardiology Sun, 26 Aug 2012 04:30:01 EST news265172909 Adding computed tomography (CT) scans to standard screening procedures may help emergency room staff more rapidly determine which patients complaining of chest pain are having a heart attack or may soon have a heart attack, and which patients can be safely discharged, according to a study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-heart-ct-scans-emergency-room.html Cardiology Wed, 25 Jul 2012 17:32:13 EST news262456327 Contrast-enhanced ultrasound is an effective, noninvasive method for monitoring patients who undergo endovascular repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-contrast-enhanced-ultrasound-aortic-aneurysm-treatment.html Other Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:02 EST news256233982 Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) -- a non-invasive way to look inside arteries that supply blood to the heart -- can quickly and reliably determine which patients complaining of chest pain at an emergency department can safely be sent home, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session. The Scientific Session, the premier cardiovascular medical meeting, brings cardiovascular professionals together to further advances in the field. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-non-invasive-scans-accurately-day-patients.html Cardiology Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:50:01 EST news251980630 Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) scans allow doctors to determine safely and more quickly which patients at low-to intermediate-risk for a heart attack can be discharged from hospital emergency departments (EDs) than traditional methods, according to the results of a large, multicenter American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) trial published online today in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study found that low- to intermediate-risk patients who underwent a CCTA were more than twice as likely to be discharged and had significantly shorter hospital stays than those who received traditional care. The ACRIN trial also found that CCTA identified nearly three times as many patients with coronary artery disease as standard methods utilized. Results of the trial were presented today at the American College of Cardiology Annual Meeting. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-coronary-cta-rapidly-heart-emergency.html Cardiology Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:50:01 EST news251973552 A highly detailed CT scan of the heart can safely and quickly rule out the possibility of a heart attack among many patients who come to hospital emergency rooms with chest pain, according to the results of a study that will be presented by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session and published concurrently in the New England Journal of Medicine. The multicenter randomized trial comparing coronary CT angiography (CCTA) and traditional cardiac testing methods revealed that chest pain patients with negative CT scans can be discharged safely from the hospital within hours. The findings may offer a new strategy for relieving the emergency room crowding that plagues many of America's hospitals, and could help to trim millions of dollars off the costs of care for one of the leading causes of ER visits. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-reveals-safety-ct-scans-rapid.html Cardiology Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:25:31 EST news251972715 Findings on coronary CT angiography (CTA), a noninvasive test to assess the coronary arteries for blockages, show different risk scenarios for men and women, according to a study presented today at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-heart-differs-men-women.html Cardiology Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:40:49 EST news241843235 A new, noninvasive diagnostic test for coronary artery disease is associated with a higher rate of subsequent invasive cardiac procedures and higher health-care spending. That's according to an observational study of Medicare recipients conducted by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-coronary-artery-disease-linked-higher.html Cardiology Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:13:04 EST news240574373 The analysis of 180 CT angiography studies done using a 320 detector row CT scanner found that a contrast media protocol based on 60 milliliters of iopamidol "had sufficient enhancement in more than 96% of coronary segments," said Frank Rybicki, MD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, and one of the authors of the study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-contrast-agent-dose-feasible-row.html Other Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:51:39 EST news236663484 An article in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology summarizes methods for radiation dose optimization in head computed tomography (CT) scans. Head CT is the second most commonly performed CT examination, with 28 percent of the total number of CT examinations. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-experts-pointers-optimizing-dose-ct.html Cancer Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:40:02 EST news231391286 Researchers may have discovered one reason that African Americans are at increased risk for heart attacks and other cardiovascular events. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-ct-angiography-heart-disease-african-americans.html Cardiology Tue, 28 Jun 2011 03:25:48 EST news228450251 Coronary computed tomographic (CT) angiography, which can detect plaque buildup in heart vessels, is sometimes used as a screening tool to assess the risk for a heart attack. However, the usefulness of the test on low-risk patients who do not have coronary symptoms, such as chest pain, has been unclear. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-ct-angiography-low-risk-heart-patients.html Cardiology Mon, 23 May 2011 17:31:11 EST news225390650 Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA), meant to improve detection of life-threatening pulmonary embolisms (PE), has led to over-diagnosis and over treatment of this condition. These findings, which appear in May 9 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. may continue to grow worse as the as the use of CT scans continue to rise. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-evidence-over-diagnosis-pulmonary-embolisms-result.html Cancer Mon, 09 May 2011 16:40:04 EST news224177189 Recent studies have shown that a 64-detector CT angiography utilizing prospective electrocardiographic (ECG) gating produces a quality image but considerably reduced patient radiation dose when compared to retrospective ECG gating, according to research being presented at the 2011 American Roentgen Ray Society's annual meeting. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-low-dose-chest-ct-effective-cardiothoracic.html Cancer Wed, 04 May 2011 04:57:36 EST news223703835