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<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">CC</journal-id>
<journal-id journal-id-type="nlm-ta">Cardiol Croat</journal-id>
<journal-title-group>
<journal-title>Cardiologia Croatica</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="pubmed">Cardiol. Croat.</abbrev-journal-title>
</journal-title-group>
<issn pub-type="ppub">1848-543X</issn>
<issn pub-type="epub">1848-5448</issn>
<publisher><publisher-name>Croatian Cardiac Society</publisher-name></publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">CC 2025 20_11-12_306</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.15836/ccar2025.306</article-id>
<article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="heading"><subject>Extended Abstract</subject></subj-group>
<subj-group subj-group-type="subheading"><subject>Free topics</subject></subj-group>
</article-categories>
<title-group>
<article-title>Function of specialized MSCT Coronarography Department in the transformation of cardiac diagnostics: experiences and perspectives</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5602-7701</contrib-id><name><surname>Premu&#x017E;i&#x0107;</surname><given-names>Luka</given-names></name><xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1">*</xref></contrib>
<aff id="aff1"><institution>Dubrava University Hospital</institution>, <addr-line>Zagreb</addr-line>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
</contrib-group>
<author-notes>
<corresp id="cor1"><label>*</label>ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Luka Premu&#x017E;i&#x0107;, Klini&#x010D;ka bolnica Dubrava, Avenija Gojka &#x0160;u&#x0161;ka 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia. / Phone: +385-91-917-3349 / E-mail: <email xlink:href="lpremuzic@kbd.hr">lpremuzic@kbd.hr</email></corresp></author-notes>
<pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="electronic"><month>11</month><year>2025</year></pub-date>
<pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="print"><month>11</month><year>2025</year></pub-date>
<volume>20</volume>
<issue>11-12</issue>
<fpage>306</fpage>
<lpage>306</lpage>
<history>
<date date-type="received"><day>01</day><month>10</month><year>2025</year></date>
<date><day>22</day><month>10</month><year>2025</year></date>
</history>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>Croatian Cardiac Society</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2025</copyright-year>
<copyright-holder>Croatian Cardiac Society</copyright-holder>
</permissions>
<kwd-group kwd-group-type="author"><title>KEYWORDS: </title><kwd>CT coronarography</kwd><kwd>prevention</kwd><kwd>diagnostics</kwd></kwd-group>
</article-meta>
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<body>
<p>Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in Croatia and worldwide, accounting for nearly one in every three deaths in Croatia and a significant share of healthcare expenditures. Coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common form, is frequently underdiagnosed or diagnosed only after acute events, leading to costly hospitalizations and avoidable mortality. MSCT Coronarography has emerged as a proven, non-invasive diagnostic tool with superior accuracy in detecting CAD compared to traditional stress testing. As a first of its kind in Croatia, the establishment of specialized MSCT Coronarography Unit in Dubrava University Hospital, made of nurses, X-ray technicians, cardiologists and radiologists represents a transformative step in modernizing cardiac diagnostics (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="r1"><italic>1</italic></xref>, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="r2"><italic>2</italic></xref>).</p>
<p>A dedicated specialized unit for CT coronarography can streamline care pathways, reduce invasive procedures, and lower system-wide costs by early, precise diagnosis, patient-centered care, cost efficiency and resource optimization, integration with preventive cardiology. With targeted government investment, robust implementation strategy, and Ministry of health collaboration, this initiative will reduce healthcare costs, save lives, and align Croatian cardiac care with global best practices.</p>
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<ref-list>
<title>LITERATURE</title>
<ref id="r1"><label>1</label><mixed-citation publication-type="web">Croatian Institute of Public Health. European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) in Croatia 2019: basic indicators [Internet]. Zagreb: Croatian Institute of Public Health; 2021. ISBN: 978-953-8362-09-5. Available from: <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="https://www.hzjz.hr/">https://www.hzjz.hr/</ext-link></mixed-citation></ref>
<ref id="r2"><label>2</label><mixed-citation publication-type="book">Ramjattan NA, Lala V, Kousa O, et al. Coronary CT angiography. [Updated 2024 Jan 19]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan Available from: <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470279/">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470279/</ext-link></mixed-citation></ref>
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