Fast, Accurate Imaging, When You Need It Most
Cardiac Calcium Scoring Test
The goal of a cardiac scoring CAT scan is to determine if Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is present and to what extent, even if you don’t have any symptoms. Your doctor may recommend this screening study if you have risk factors for CAD such as high cholesterol, family history of heart attacks, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, lack of physical activity or if you’re overweight.
Cardiac scoring will help your physician determine if you have heart disease, and if you don’t, what you can do to lower your risk.
A registered technologist will discuss the procedure with you and answer any questions you may have. The technologist will go over a list of questions regarding your medical history. To ensure the quality of your exam you may be asked to change into a gown and remove all metallic items from your body, such as your watch, bra, jewelry, hairpins, glasses, and hearing aids. If you believe you may be pregnant, be sure to let the CAT scan technologist know, even if it’s just a possibility.
The technologist will position you on the exam table in a donut-shaped gantry. After which, the technologist will position small, sticky discs to your chest so an EKG machine can record the electrical activity of your heart.
At times during the exam, the table will move, and you will hear the sound of the x-ray tube circling your body. At all times, the technologist will be able to see you and communicate with you on a two-way intercom.
The table will move through the scanner to determine the correct position for the scans. performed. While the images are being captured, you will be asked to hold your breath for several seconds.
Once complete, the technologist will verify that the images are clear enough for an accurate interpretation. In general, the whole procedure takes about 15 minutes.
Avoid smoking or caffeine for about 4-6 hours before the exam.
Your exam will be reviewed and reported on by a radiologist, and the results will be sent to your doctor.
Cardiac Calcium scoring test measure the amount of calcium in your heart arteries. Your calcium score gives your health care team an idea of how much plaque is in your heart arteries and may help predict your risk of future heart attacks or cardiovascular disease. This procedure takes less than 10 minutes of your time and is completely non-invasive and pain-free.