HOW IS CORONARY ARTERY CT DIFFERENT THAN OTHER AVAILABLE TESTS?
* Coronary artery computerized tomography and calcium scoring is the only test that allows physicians to accurately identify which individuals have early coronary disease and quantify how severe it is. * Unlike coronary angiography, this test is completely non-invasive. * Unlike the stress thallium test, this test does not require exercise or pharmacological alterations. * This test permits the physician to modify treatment of those patients with coronary artery disease at the earliest possible stage, before significant plaque build-up or heart attack has occurred. * Up to 2/3 of patients who have a heart attack or angina have only minimal narrowing of the coronary artery. Therefore, physiologic tests such as angiography or exercise stress thallium testing may fail to identify certain patients who are at risk for a heart attack.
