Purpose of review: To provide an overview of recent studies of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and how it has helped to improve clinical outcomes for patients presenting with chest pain.
Recent findings: Randomised controlled trials have uniformly demonstrated that the use of CCTA is associated with improvements in patient diagnosis, management and treatments as well as the avoidance of unnecessary invasive coronary angiography. These changes have been associated with consistent reductions in long-term rates of fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction.
Summary: Major beneficial effects in clinical management and patient outcomes are seen with the use of coronary computed tomography angiography. CCTA might be considered to be the first test of choice for the investigation of coronary heart disease.
Keywords: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; Computed tomography coronary angiography; Coronary artery disease; Exercise electrocardiography; Myocardial perfusion imaging; Stress echocardiography.