CT utilization in the emergency department (ED) has increased significantly in the last few decades, a fact often cited as one of the major reasons healthcare costs and radiation exposure are on the rise. So what can be done to reverse that trend?

Physicians in fields like cardiology have traditionally looked to clinical practice guidelines to help articulate the best evidence-based care for patients. The rapidly growing movement to value-based care is prompting clinicians—including echocardiographers—to carefully weigh a more focused and integrative approach to delivering consistent, quality medicine: care pathways.

Clinicians can reduce the “tube voltage” (kVp) in CT pulmonary angiography without reducing image quality, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Researchers conducted a retrospective study to measure CT pulmonary angiography image quality as tube voltage was lowered, taking into account patient size as well as the benefits of simple image post-processing.

Five electrophysiologists joined Cardiovascular Business editorial advisor Matthew R. Reynolds, MD, SM, for a discussion about how they will deliver quality care to a growing number of atrial fibrillation patients even as the U.S. healthcare system turns its focus from volume to value.