OBJECTIVE: Using catheter coronary angiography (CAG) as reference standard, we examined the agreement of 40-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) in triaging patients into the 2 controversial strategies of managing low-risk acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with low-risk ACS received both MDCT and CAG. Early invasive strategy was assigned for the patient if there was significant stenosis (> or =50% diameter stenosis) in any of the coronary artery segments with diameter larger than 1.5 mm. The results of MDCT were compared with the CAG for agreement. RESULTS: The overall agreement of the early conservative/early invasive strategy assignment was 92.3%, with kappa value of 0.82 between MDCT and CAG. Only 1 patient needing early invasive strategy was missed by MDCT. CONCLUSION: Forty-detector row computed tomography is reliable in triaging patients into the 2 strategies of managing low-risk ACS.
OBJECTIVE: Using catheter coronary angiography (CAG) as reference standard, we examined the agreement of 40-detector row computed tomography (MDCT) in triaging patients into the 2 controversial strategies of managing low-risk acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with low-risk ACS received both MDCT and CAG. Early invasive strategy was assigned for the patient if there was significant stenosis (> or =50% diameter stenosis) in any of the coronary artery segments with diameter larger than 1.5 mm. The results of MDCT were compared with the CAG for agreement. RESULTS: The overall agreement of the early conservative/early invasive strategy assignment was 92.3%, with kappa value of 0.82 between MDCT and CAG. Only 1 patient needing early invasive strategy was missed by MDCT. CONCLUSION: Forty-detector row computed tomography is reliable in triaging patients into the 2 strategies of managing low-risk ACS.