[Impact of coronary computed tomography angiography on patient triage strategies]

To investigate the triaging pathways of patients after coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).

The patients undergoing CCTA were enrolled consecutively during the period from March 3, 2008 to June 23, 2009. The rate of coronary angiography (CAG) examinations after CCTA was calculated. The rates of normal CAG, medication, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) were compared between CCTA and direct CAG cohorts.

A total of 8030 cases receiving CCTA and 3260 receiving direct CAG were included in the study. The CCTA patients had significantly fewer risk factors than those having direct CAG. Of the 8030 patients undergoing CCTA, 953 (12.03%) received further CAG and 6977 (87.97%) did not. Of the patients who received CAG after CCTA, 35 (3.7%) had normal CAG findings, 604 (63.4%) underwent PCI, 108 (11.3%) received conservative treatment with medications, and 206 (21.6%) underwent CABG. In the 3260 patients directly undergoing CAG, 706 (52.3%) underwent subsequent PCI, 142(4.4%) underwent CABG, 815(25.1%) received medications, and 579 (17.9%) had normal CAG findings. Comparison between the cases receiving direct CAG and CAG after CCTA showed that CCTA resulted in a significant increase in the revascularization rate (P<0.0001).

CCTA can help prevent unnecessary CAG and allows more accurate patient triage.