Heart-Scans

15-second emergency Heart Scans can determine which patients with chest pain have heart problems and which do not, potentially saving lives by allowing doctors to focus on those in urgent need, according to a study published by the UK's Heart Association. In the study, 103 people with chest pain were given routine tests as well as a 15-second Heart Scans called a multidetector computed tomography, or MDCT, which enables doctors to see where plaque has built up in coronary arteries, making them narrower and harder. Detecting plaque is key since its buildup is a telltale sign of acute coronary syndrome, or ACS, an umbrella term for the chest pain associated with heart attacks and angina. Visit Cardiac Research Trust.