Do cardiologists have higher thresholds for recommending coronary arteriography than family physicians?
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 8, 2026

Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
Published on: August 28, 2018
M J Young1, L S Fried, J Eisenberg
1Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to use a new model of decision making to understand variability in physicians' utilization of diagnostic tests. We studied physicians' recommendations for coronary arteriography in hypothetical patients with chest pain by analyzing responses of 235 cardiologists and family physicians. Thresholds for testing were derived by obtaining estimates of the probability of disease and recommendations for coronary arteriography before and after an exercise test. We found that cardiologists compared with family practitioners had a significantly higher decision threshold and recommended coronary arteriography in fewer patients. These findings suggest that analyzing physicians' decision-making thresholds may be used to characterize differences in the practice behavior of groups of physicians.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System III: X-Ray
Definition and Purpose
An X-ray, or radiograph, is a non-invasive method that uses ionizing radiation to take images of internal structures. It is mainly used in cardiac imaging to examine the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels, aiming to identify abnormalities in the heart's size, shape, and position, such as heart failure, congenital defects, and vascular...
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System V: CT
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System VI: Calcium -Scoring CT
Cardiac Catheterization I: Pre-Procedure Overview
Coronary Artery Disease I: Introduction
Coronary Artery Disease V: Interprofessional Care

