Coronary CT calcium scan

Coronary CT Calcium Scan

A Coronary CT Calcium Scan is a specialized medical imaging technique used to assess the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) by detecting calcium deposits in the coronary arteries. This non-invasive test helps in evaluating the risk of future cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Overview

The coronary CT calcium scan, also known as a cardiac CT for calcium scoring, utilizes computed tomography (CT) technology to create detailed images of the heart. The primary purpose of this scan is to measure the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. Calcified plaque is an indicator of atherosclerosis, which can lead to narrowing of the arteries and increased risk of heart disease.

Procedure

The procedure for a coronary CT calcium scan is relatively quick and painless. It involves the following steps:

1. Preparation: Patients may be asked to avoid caffeine and smoking for a few hours before the test. They should wear comfortable clothing and remove any metal objects.
2. Positioning: The patient lies on a table that slides into the CT scanner. Electrodes are attached to the chest to monitor the heart's activity.
3. Scanning: The CT scanner takes multiple images of the heart, which are then used to calculate the calcium score.

Calcium Score

The calcium score is a numerical value that reflects the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. It is calculated using specialized software that analyzes the CT images. The score is used to estimate the risk of coronary artery disease:

• 0: No detectable plaque. Low risk of CAD.
• 1-99: Mild plaque. Low to moderate risk.
• 100-399: Moderate plaque. Moderate to high risk.
• 400 and above: Extensive plaque. High risk of CAD.

Clinical Significance

A coronary CT calcium scan is particularly useful for individuals with intermediate risk of heart disease. It provides additional information that can guide treatment decisions, such as the need for lifestyle changes or medication. The test is not typically recommended for individuals with very low or very high risk, as it may not change the management strategy.

Limitations

While the coronary CT calcium scan is a valuable tool, it has limitations:

• It does not detect non-calcified plaque, which can also contribute to heart disease.
• It involves exposure to a small amount of ionizing radiation.
• It is not suitable for individuals with certain medical conditions, such as severe kidney disease.

Conclusion

The coronary CT calcium scan is an important diagnostic tool in the assessment of coronary artery disease. By providing a calcium score, it helps in stratifying the risk of cardiovascular events and guiding preventive measures. However, it should be used in conjunction with other clinical assessments and diagnostic tests.

Cardiovascular disease A-Z

Most common cardiac diseases

• Cardiac arrhythmia‎
• Cardiogenetic disorders‎
• Cardiomegaly‎
• Cardiomyopathy‎
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation‎
• Chronic rheumatic heart diseases‎
• Congenital heart defects‎
• Heart neoplasia‎
• Ischemic heart diseases‎
• Pericardial disorders
• Syndromes affecting the heart‎
• Valvular heart disease‎

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

• Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
• Acute decompensated heart failure
• Arteriosclerotic heart disease
• Athletic heart syndrome
• Atrial flutter
• Atrioventricular fistula
• Cardiovascular disease in Australia
• Autoimmune heart disease

B

• Brown atrophy of the heart

C

• Ebb Cade
• Cardiac allograft vasculopathy
• Cardiac amyloidosis
• Cardiac asthma
• Cardiac tamponade
• Cardiogenic shock
• Cardiogeriatrics
• Cardiorenal syndrome
• Cardiotoxicity
• Carditis
• Coronary artery aneurysm
• Coronary artery anomaly
• Coronary artery disease
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• Coronary artery ectasia
• Coronary occlusion
• Coronary steal
• Coronary thrombosis
• Coronary vasospasm
• Cœur en sabot
• Coxsackievirus-induced cardiomyopathy

D

• Duke Treadmill Score
• Duroziez's disease

E

• Eisenmenger's syndrome
• Embryocardia
• Endocardial fibroelastosis
• Eosinophilic myocarditis

H

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• Heart to Heart (1949 film)
• High-output heart failure
• Hyperdynamic precordium

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

I

• Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis
• Interventricular dyssynchrony
• Intraventricular dyssynchrony
• Isolated atrial amyloidosis

K

• Keshan disease

L

• Loeffler endocarditis

M

• Mydicar
• Myocardial bridge
• Myocardial disarray
• Myocardial rupture
• Myocardial scarring
• Myocardial stunning
• Myocarditis

N

• Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis

O

• OLR1
• Ostial disease

P

• Papillary fibroelastoma
• Pathophysiology of heart failure
• Postpericardiotomy syndrome
• Pulmonary vein stenosis

R

• Right axis deviation
• Roemheld syndrome

S

• Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease
• SCAR-Fc
• Shone's syndrome
• Strain pattern
• Subacute bacterial endocarditis
• Sudden cardiac death of athletes

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T

• Traumatic cardiac arrest

V

• Ventricular aneurysm
• Vibroacoustic disease
• Viral cardiomyopathy

W

• Waon therapy

• 

  Lesion specific calcium score