Role of cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of acute chest pain in the emergency department

Evaluation of patients presenting with chest pain to the emergency department remains a challenging task because of a variety of etiologies that range from benign to potentially fatal. Although majority of patients do not have myocardial ischemia as the cause of their presentation, the clinical work up can be time consuming, costly and inconclusive. Recent technical advances in cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging have led to better diagnostic accuracy in evaluating patients with chest pain. In this paper, we review the role of cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating patients with chest pain in the emergency department.