Does Routine Stress-Thallium Cardiac Scanning Reduce Postoperative Cardiac Complications?

Abstract

Preoperative stress-thallium testing confirmed a high incidence of significant coronary artery disease in patients undergoing aortic reconstruction, but prophylactic cardiac intervention does not reduce operative or long-term mortality. Thus, the risk and expense of routine stress-thallium testing and subsequent cardiac revascularization cannot be justified.