What is coronary calcification?
Calcium, the body’s most abundant mineral, circulates through the body and is vital for bone strength and for many cellular functions. Calcium also deposits in the arteries as part of the atherosclerotic process. This calcification stiffens the blood vessels, a phenomenon commonly referred to as “hardening of the arteries.” Research shows that there is a direct link between the degree of calcification in the blood vessels to the amount of artherosclerotic plaque and, therefore, the likelihood of subsequent heart attack or stroke. Heart CT Profile™ uses a CT Scan and gives doctors an idea of how advanced an individual’s atherosclerotic process is, thereby guiding the aggressiveness of treatment.
