What is a heart scan for calcium scoring?
A calcium score is a measure of how much plaque has accumulated in blood vessels of the heart. The amount of calcium build-up is a good predictor of a person’s risk of a heart attack and can be used as a guide for treatment. Columbia St. Mary’s uses dual source CT technology that is accurate without being invasive. The multi-slice CT scanner takes high-speed, low-radiation images of the heart and counts the amount of calcium present. The scan typically takes 10 to 20 seconds and patients remain in their street clothes. There is no need for an IV or medication prior to the heart scan, and the patient’s prep and test time is less than 10 minutes. Unlike the traditional risk factor formula that generally predicts the likelihood of heart disease in a specific group of patients (i.e. those who are overweight, smoke, have high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol), calcium scoring is a more definitive assessment tool for individual patients. Benefits of a heart scan for calcium scoring Stu
