ABSTRACT
Since its introduction in the late 1950s, invasive coronary angiography has been utilized as the gold standard method to evaluate coronary anatomy and detect coronary luminal stenosis. In clinical practice, however, invasive coronary angiograms are generally not utilized as a first-line diagnostic tool. A variety of noninvasive ischemia detection tests are currently available and are usually performed as an initial risk-stratification approach. Indeed, in recently issued clinical guidelines, invasive coronary angiography has been considered not to be useful for most patients without clear evidence of myocardial ischemia.1 Nevertheless, although routinely performed, noninvasive testing does not preclude the need for coronary angiography. Indeed, more liberal early coronary angiography has been increasingly advocated for high-risk patients, such as those with acute coronary syndromes. In this context, a noninvasive test capable of direct visualization of the coronary tree would be desirable.
