Quicklinks
Heart Scans (Calcium Scoring)
Doctors use heart scans to check for calcium deposits in your heart’s coronary arteries. Calcium deposits, known as plaque, can narrow your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. This quick and painless CT (computed tomography) scan of your heart measures your coronary calcium score which can indicate whether you have a higher risk of having a heart attack before any symptoms of heart disease occur. This inexpensive test provides valuable information about your heart health.
Best Images: At Anne Arundel Diagnostics, we perform this test using our most sophisticated CT scanner, one that is configured to obtain the best heart images with the least radiation. Unlike some other imaging centers, we use ‘gated’ images in which the CT scanner captures images between your breaths and heart beats for optimal resolution.
Facts:
- Fifty percent of heart attack victims had no prior symptoms before having an attack.
- Heart scans are endorsed by the American Heart Association as a helpful tool in choosing between lifestyle changes and drug therapy to reduce heart attack risk.
- Heart scans cost 75 dollars and may not be covered by your insurance company
- Results are interpreted by board-certified radiologists and sent directly to your doctor.
Related links:
AHA Endorses Calcium Scores (http://heartdisease.about.com/od/coronaryarterydisease/a/AHAcalcium.htm)