Cheap heart scan may replace costly stress tests for chest pain patients

This study tested whether starting with a low-cost coronary calcium scan (about $100) could safely avoid the need for a more expensive heart stress test (over $1,500) in people with chest pain. Researchers planned to enroll 48 adults aged 50 and older with suspected heart disease. The goal was to see if the cheaper approach could save money without increasing the risk of heart attacks or other major heart problems. The study was terminated early, so results are limited.