"If in fact one adopts a strategy using cardiac CT, there is the potential for patients to have repeated exposures," said Dr. Antman, professor of medicine at Harvard University and senior faculty member in the cardiovascular division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Dr. Hoffmann said there is a cost to performing a CT and to being able to discharge patients early, but also noted the collateral effect early discharge of chest-pain patients can have on getting other patients seen in the emergency room.
Dr. Budoff commented that there have been less repeat visits with CCTA in the three trials to date, and thus if one looked at cumulative radiation exposure over the subsequent year, "it might actually start to balance a little better."
This study was sponsored by Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Hoffmann reported research grants from the National Institutes of Health and Siemens Medical Systems. Five of his coauthors reported consulting and research funding from a variety of sources.