[Non-invasive imaging for the detection of coronary artery disease]

Abstract

Non-invasive coronary artery imaging is useful in patients with an intermediate level of risk of coronary artery disease because it avoids the health risks associated with invasive coronary angiography, the current gold standard. The conventional non-invasive imaging techniques of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, stress echocardiography and MRI rely on ischaemia as a marker for coronary artery disease. The more recently introduced techniques of electron beam tomography and multi-slice CT use atherosclerosis as a marker for coronary artery disease. These techniques allow for earlier detection of coronary artery disease, but provide limited information with regard to treatment decisions.