['A new commercially available rapid qualitative bedside immunoassay for cardiac troponin T has been developed. The aim of the study was to investigate whether this new rapid bedside cardiac troponin T assay facilitates diagnosing myocardial infarction in a pre-hospital setting.', 'We evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of the new rapid bedside troponin T assay for myocardial infarction. In 68 patients with acute, central, crushing chest pain, who were strongly suspected of having myocardial infarction, the emergency doctor performed preclinically a bedside cardiac troponin T test. The results were compared with the diagnosis after admission to hospital, using the criteria of the World Health Organization.', 'The diagnosis of myocardial infarction was confirmed in 16/68 (24%) patients after admission to hospital, but only in 4/16 (25%) patients with myocardial infarction was a positive result observed preclinically with this test. The result was false positive in 1/5 patients (20%).'] Is bedside troponin T testing useful for early out-of-hospital diagnosis of myocardial infarction?