Stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging use on acute chest pain patients in the emergency department's observation unit helps to reduce adverse outcomes, according to a study in JACC: Cardiocascular Imaging.
Researchers analyzed outcomes among 109 ED acute chest pain patients that were randomized into two groups — one group that received an MRI and treatment in an observation unit, and one group that was admitted to the hospital.
Results showed that patients who received the MRI were one-third less likely than their counterparts to experience a major cardiac event in the year following discharge. Healthcare costs for the MRI group ($3,101) were also significantly lower than the control group ($4,742).
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