Magnetic resonance imaging or (MRI) scans are the safest and most effective way to identify high risk patients with cardiac chest pain, according to evidence from a clinical study at the University of Leeds, funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
The study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, showed that cardiac MRI was better overall at predicting serious events, such as death or heart attack, following chest pain suspected to be angina. The researchers have carried out a five-year follow-up study in 750 people, to find out the best way of separating patients based on whether they were at high- or low-risk of serious heart events. The researchers compared MRI scans, a non-invasive test which does not use potentially dangerous radiation, with SPECT, a procedure which uses ionising radiation and is commonly used in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease (CHD), the world’s biggest killer, is responsible for nearly 70,000 deaths in the UK each year, an average of 190 people each day, or one death around every eight minutes. This research is expected to inform future clinical guidelines for the investigation of stable coronary heart disease. In doing so it could ease pressure on the NHS as only one hospital appointment is required for MRI, compared with two for SPECT.
Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said:
“This research shows that MRI is the best non-invasive way to diagnose significant coronary heart disease in people with chest pain.
“The BHF invested heavily in magnetic resonance scanners for research, including in Leeds, over a decade ago. It is pleasing that this investment of publically donated money is now paving the way for better patient care.”
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