Advances in imaging and radiology are now helping doctors to diagnose the cause of chest pain more quickly when a patient comes to the emergency room.
In this interview, Dr. Charles White, director of thoracic imaging at the University of Maryland Medical Center, explains that advances in technology mean that CT scans, also known as CAT scans, can provide fast and detailed images of the arteries supplying blood the heart. This means doctors can know within minutes whether the patient has narrowing or a blockage in these coronary arteries or if another condition, such as a clot in the lung, may be causing the chest pain. Faster diagnosis means faster treatment for these conditions. The interview also covers how the scanners can compensate for the movement of the beating heart.
In this interview with Sharon Boston, Dr. White also discusses new developments in CT technology and how it may improve the evaluation of the chest pain. Dr. White is also professor of diagnostic radiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
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