Annals of Internal Medicine Study Finds CT More Accurate Than MRI for Ruling out Coronary Artery Disease

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--El Camino Hospital:

“the most technologically advanced in the world”

WHAT:	In a comparative study released tonight in Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers have found that, among noninvasive imaging tests for ruling out coronary artery disease (CAD), computed tomography (CT) is a more accurate noninvasive test than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). CAD is the main cause of death in industrialized countries.¹ While coronary angiography is the standard technique for detection, CT and MRI are the preferred noninvasive methods due to their superior imaging quality. El Camino Hospital, the hospital of Silicon Valley, is a regional and national leader in imaging technologies and was recently named “the most technologically advanced in the world” by Popular Science. Experts, including Imtiaz Qureshi, M.D., Chief of Radiology, are available for comment on this latest finding and what it means for patients, physicians and hospitals alike.

--	El Camino Hospital has state-of-the art CT and PET-CT equipment. The CT scanners include 128-slice and 64-slice dual source capabilities that acquire scans twice as fast as MRIs. The PET-CT delivers unparalleled accuracy in detecting, pinpointing and staging tumors. The CT scanners are used for diagnostic imaging of coronary arteries in addition to the colon, liver, biliary tract and pancreas. The hospital invested $20 million last year in state-of-the-art imaging equipment to ensure patients have access to advanced medical technologies that can result in more effective and efficient diagnosis and treatment.
--	El Camino Hospital’s state-of-the-art digital imaging systems provide faster, more accurate results for patient exams than traditional systems, making the facility a completely filmless hospital. Digital images can be sent to medical professionals immediately and securely to aid in rapid diagnosis and treatment plans.

WHO:	Imtiaz Qureshi, M.D., Medical Director and Chief of Radiology at El Camino Hospital

WHEN:	Week of February 1, as well as later in the month as the story continues to unfold

WHERE:	By phone or in person at El Camino Hospital, Mountain View, Calif.

About El Camino Hospital

El Camino Hospital is an acute care, 542-bed, not-for-profit and locally-governed organization with campuses in Mountain View and Los Gatos, Calif. In addition to a state-of-the-art emergency department, key medical specialty focuses include cancer care, heart and vascular, neuroscience, genomic medicine, orthopedic and spine and women’s health.

El Camino Hospital has delivered the highest level of medical services to the communities of Silicon Valley for more than four decades. The hospital is also recognized as a national leader in the use of health information technology to promote patient safety, including computerized order entry, electronic medical records and wireless communications. El Camino Hospital was the pioneer hospital for computerized physician order entry (CPOE), having started its program in 1971. Additionally El Camino Hospital is an accredited Mega Heart and Certified Chest Pain Center and a Santa Clara County Certified STEMI Receiving Center, and a Joint Commission certified stroke center.

El Camino Hospital has been recognized for its clinical excellence with awards such as: Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Center; ANCC Magnet Recognition for Nursing Care and Bay Area Parent Magazine’s Award for Best Hospital or Clinic. El Camino Hospital was recently recognized by Popular Science Magazine as one of the “100 Best Innovations of the Year.”

To learn more about El Camino Hospital, the services it provides in Mountain View and Los Gatos, and its commitment to doing “Whatever it Takes” to provide the best and safest patient care, visit our Web site at www.elcaminohospital.org. For a physician referral, visit our Web site or call the El Camino Health Line at 800-216-5556

¹ Rosamond W, Flegal K, Furie K, Go A, Greenlund K, Haase N, et al; American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2008 update: a report from the American Heart Association Statistics Committee and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Circulation. 2008;117:e25-146.