• CT scan

CT scan (Photo : Reuters/Kavita Chandran Budhraja)

Scottish researchers have found that compared to standard tests, CT scans may help detect heart diseases better in people suffering from chest pain, according to Frontline Desk.

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CT scans were found to identify more heart problems. Furthermore, these tests allowed physicians to act to reduce the risk of a heart attack. Chest pain may feel like a dull ache or a sharp pain. It differs from individual to individual.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a cardiology professor at the University of California, said that standard testing for patients can include a stress test and an electrocardiogram test. However, these tests can fail to detect the presence of coronary heart disease. This can lead to a wrong diagnosis.

The research team examined the medical records of 4,100 patients who received treatment for chest pain due to coronary heart disease. The researchers randomly assigned patients to receive a standard care or a CT scan.

Standard care led to different diagnoses in 1 percent of patients, whereas CT scans resulted in different diagnosis in 25 percent of patients. Standard care resulted in treatment changes in 5 percent of patients, while CT tests resulted in treatment changes in 23 percent of patients. Also, patients who received CT scans showed a 38 percent reduction in the number of heart attacks. Newby said that less than 2 percent of patients experienced mild side effects due to a CT scan.

Medical News Today states that a CT scan can also recognize abnormal tissues and disclose important data about injuries to a person's feet, hands and other skeletal structures.