A University of Cincinnati study suggests that ECG imaging should be used more often to screen for underlying cardiac abnormalities when evaluating pediatric patients who present with syncope. Of more than 625,000 ED visits for syncope that were analyzed, CT or MRI scans were used in 26.5% of cases, while ECG was used in 58.1% of cases. The study team feels that use of MRI and CT imaging in this patient population should be tempered.
Abstract: Journal of Emergency Medicine, March 14, 2012 (online).
