An interventionalist's perspective: Diagnosis of cardiovascular disease

Abstract

Coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) has become one of the diagnostic tests of choice for the determination of the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis. With its high specificity, CCTA can be an extremely helpful test in determining which patients do not require cardiac catheterization. Given this fact, it seems somewhat counter-intuitive that the interventional cardiology community has embraced this technology. One would theorize that a strong noninvasive angiography program would reduce volume and divert patients away from the catheterization lab. In fact, centers where CCTA is available do not appear to have lead to a reduction in invasive volumes [1]. © 2010 Springer-Verlag London Limited.