MRI Detects Heart Attacks Faster and More Accurately

A study has demonstrated that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect heart attack in emergency department (ED) patients with chest pain more quickly and more accurately than traditional methods. The findings were published in the February 4, 2003, issue of Circulation.

Researchers evaluated high-resolution MRI to detect acute coronary syndrome in ED patients with chest pain. The results were compared with the results of three standard diagnostic tests: electrocardiogram (ECG), blood enzyme test, and the TIMI risk score (based on seven clinical characteristics). MRI detected all of the patients' heart attacks, including three in patients with normal ECGs. MRI also detected more patients with unstable angina than the other tests. All patients were followed for six to eight weeks after their initial visit to the ED.

"This study lays the groundwork for what could mean a dramatic change in how heart attacks are diagnosed and how rapidly patients receive treatment once they arrive at the hospital,” said Dr. Claude Lenfant, director of the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI, Bethesda, MD, USA), which conducted the research. "Using MRI to detect heart problems in the emergency department will ultimately save lives.”




Related Links:
US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute