How imaging in the UK differs from other countries
| Domain | UK imaging | EU and the Americas |
| Reimbursement | Primarily state-funded (NHS) | Primarily insurance or direct to patient |
| Workforce | Fewer imaging cardiologists and specialist radiologists | More imaging cardiologist and specialist radiologists |
| Credentialing | Optional accreditation | Board certification |
| Protocols and guidelines | Nationally government-derived NICE guidelines | European Society or American College clinical guidelines |
| CMR | Highly developed integration into clinical care | Patchy integration into clinical care |
| Echocardiography | Physiologist/Clinical scientist primary reporter | Physician/Cardiologist primary reporter |
| Cardiac CT | Nationally mandated NICE CG95 for new-onset chest pain | Clinical guideline-based pathways to a variety of imaging techniques |
| Nuclear cardiology | Low level of cardiology involvement/predominantly radiology driven | Greater cardiology involvement |
CMR, cardiovascular magnetic resonance; EU, European Union; NHS, National Health Service; NICE, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.