A comparison of magnetocardiography with noninvasive cardiac testing in the evaluation of patients with chest pain

Objectives

Chest pain is a common complaint of outpatients and emergency department patients. These patients are often referred for noninvasive cardiac imaging (NCI). Problems with NCI include limited availability, lengthy test delays, test duration, radiation exposure, adverse events, NPO (holding medications, caffeine/food/liquids/tobacco), exercise requirement, limitations for certain populations, inability to assess for ischemia with no obstructive coronary artery disease (INOCA), contrast/medication/needlestick-intravenous (IV) line needed.

Magnetocardiography (MCG) advantages include faster, easier test administration, radiation avoidance, less resource utilization, safer, no needlestick/IV requirement, no NPO for caffeine/food/liquids/tobacco, and no holding medications. By avoiding medications and/or exercise, MCG avoids risk of provoking myocardial injury and dangerous events (arrhythmias). No contrast or pharmacologic agents are needed with MCG, eliminating side effects/complications: tissue necrosis from extravasation, contrast-induced nephropathy, allergic reactions including life threatening anaphylaxis.

Design

MCG comparison with NCI: exercise stress test, stress echo, dobutamine stress echocardiogram, myocardial perfusion imaging: single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or positron emission tomography (PET), cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).

Outcome measures

Literature review: NCI versus MCG.

Conclusion

MCG is a rapid, safe, effective, painless and radiation-free test, does not require contrast/medication administration. MCG by avoiding provocative medications and/or exercise eliminates the risk of provoking myocardial injury and causing dangerous events such as arrhythmias. MCG avoids testing delays, has higher patient satisfaction, no NPO requirement, no holding medications or caffeine/food/liquids/tobacco, with similar sensitivity and specificity. Additional clinical research is needed to validate its utility. MCG may be a complementary modality alongside current NCI.