American College of Radiology Clinical Statement on Noninvasive Cardiac Imaging

(Referred by Marcelo Colominas [mgcolominas@gigared.com])
Coronary artery disease (CAD) and other acquired and congenital cardiac diseases are major medical and socioeconomic problems. CAD affects 13.2 million Americans and was responsible for 502 189 deaths in 2001. In 2004, the direct and indirect economic impact of CAD was in excess of $120 billion, which was about one-third of the total costs attributable to cardiovascular diseases (1).
Historically, imaging has had a critical role in the diagnosis and evaluation of acquired and congenital cardiac disease, beginning with chest radiography and fluoroscopy and progressing to coronary angiography and cardiac catheterization, ultrasonography (echocardiography), and nuclear medicine. All of these modalities have a well-established role in patient care. Computed tomography (CT), with multidetector CT and electron-beam technology, and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, with appropriately equipped imagers, now can image the coronary arteries, cardiac chambers, valves, myocardium, and pericardium and can help assess cardiac function. Thus, CT and MR imaging will have an increasing role in comprehensive cardiac imaging./.../