Cardiac Calcium Scoring is a quick and non-invasive test that uses a CT exam to detect and measure the amount of calcium in your coronary arteries, which is an indicator of heart disease. Cardiac Calcium Scoring can detect calcium deposits before they get large enough to obstruct the blood vessel.
Why should I have the screening?
This is a valuable screening test to identify an individual who has no symptoms, but has significant plaque in the blood vessel wall. It is not unusual for this small amount of plaque to change shape and attract a clot, thus resulting in a heart attack.
An appropriate candidate is male, age 35-70, or female, age 40-70, who has any of the following factors:
Family history of heart disease
Smoking
Diabetes
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Overweight
How should I prepare for the screening?
Let us know about any of the following:
Have a known coronary artery disease
Have a resting heart rate above 90-95 beats per minute (resting tachycardia)
Pregnancy – known or possible
What does the screening tell me?
Areas of calcification will be marked and quantified. With this information, you will be put into one of five categories of risk, ranging from normal to extremely high.
What happens after my screening?
Your images will be interpreted by one of our board-certified radiologists. The results will be sent to your healthcare provider, so that they can review the results with you and determine if any follow-up is needed.
Is the exam covered by insurance?
An increasing number of insurance plans now pay for Cardiac Calcium Scoring with a referral from a healthcare provider. Please check with your insurance company. You are able to use your health care flexible medical spending account or medical savings plan to pay for the screening. Payment can be made via cash, check or credit card (VISA, MasterCard and Discover) at the time of your appointment.
