Evolution of Stress Echocardiogram in the Era of CT Angiography

Abstract

The ideal diagnostic modality for acute chest pain is a highly debated topic in the cardiovascular community. With the rapid rise of coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) and the fall of functional testing, stress echocardiography (SE) is at a delicate crossroads. Though there are many advantages of coronary CTA, it is not without its flaws. The exact realm of SE needs to be clearly defined, as well as which patients need diagnostic testing. The emergence of additional parameters will propel the evolution of modern SE. In this review article, we explore the role of SE, guidelines, comparison of SE versus CTA, and additional parameters in the coronary CTA era.