Multislice coronary computed tomographic angiography in emergency department presentations of unsuspected acute myocardial infarction

BackgroundCoronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) is not indicated in the setting of acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department (ED). Nonetheless, acute coronary syndromes may have atypical presentations, and CCTA may be inadvertently performed in this setting.ObjectivesThis study was designed to determine the frequency and characteristics of CCTA imaging of unsuspected acute myocardial infarction in the ED.MethodsAll CCTAs performed in the ED at Lenox Hill Hospital were reviewed for clinical indications and subsequent course; patients with documented acute myocardial infarction were identified.ResultsOf the 500 CCTAs performed on ED patients in the Lenox Hill laboratory, 5 patients (1%) were imaged during the initial phase of an unsuspected acute myocardial infarction; in all cases the CCTAs were key to the diagnosis. The imaging characteristics were (1) total or subtotal occlusion and (2) transmural hypodensity in the infarct area.ConclusionAlthough acute myocardial infarction on CCTA in ED patients is an infrequent event, proper and prompt recognition is critical for appropriate patient care, particularly as applications to the ED increase.