Rationale and design of the Randomized Evaluation of patients with Stable angina Comparing Utilization of noninvasive Examinations (RESCUE) trial

RESCUE is a phase III, randomized, controlled, multicenter, comparative efficacy study, designed to compare two diagnostic imaging/treatment paradigms that use coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) or single photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT MPI) for assisting in the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease in patients with stable angina symptoms, and guiding subsequent treatment. The study is based on the hypothesis that CCTA as a diagnostic tool is associated with no increase in cardiac risk, decreased cost, and reduced radiation exposure compared with SPECT MPI. The RESCUE trial was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) Fund for Imaging Innovation, began in 2011, and completed in 2014.