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Coronary Calcium Scoring

     

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Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in the UK, and in a significant proportion of deaths there are no previous symptoms.  CHD results from hardening and furring up of the coronary arteries (atherosclerosis), which is often associated with calcium deposition in the artery wall.  Coronary calcium scoring can pick up even minute amounts of calcium very accurately and thus atherosclerosis can be detected long before it causes symptoms.

If identified early enough, atherosclerosis can be stabilised and controlled through modern therapies and lifestyle changes.

Frequently Asked Questions - Coronary Calcium Scoring

What is coronary calcium scoring?

Is coronary calcium scoring a new technology?

What are the benefits of coronary calcium scoring over other medical tests?

How is the coronary calcium scoring performed?

Who should consider having coronary calcium scoring?

 

What is coronary calcium scoring?

Coronary calcium scoring is a technique used to determine if calcification is present in your coronary arteries, and is therefore a major contributor to heart health. It is a CT scan that captures cross-sectional images of the heart at very fast speed.  The technology allows the radiologist to measure small deposits of calcium building up on the inside of a patient's arteries and compare it to standards for age and gender. The amount of calcium detected is a very reliable predictor of the risk of developing CHD.

 

Is coronary calcium scoring a new technology?

Not  really.  Coronary calcium scoring has been around for the last decade, but was limited to a few hospitals that owned electron beam CT scanners.  However, the advent of fast multidetector CT technology has now made coronary calcium scoring more widely available.

 

What are the benefits of coronary calcium scoring over other medical tests?

Unlike many medical tests, coronary calcium scoring is fast, painless and non-invasive.   There is no preparation necessary for this type of scan and the entire process only takes about 30 minutes.

 

How is the coronary calcium scoring performed?

You will have a painless, non-invasive computed tomography (CT) scan of your heart and coronary arteries. After checking your medical history, the radiologist will place electrocardiogram (ECG) leads on your chest so that the CT scanner can precisely measure the beating of your heart. The scanner will take dozens of images during those fractions of a second between beats when your heart is still.  After the scan is completed, the computerised data is presented to the radiologist in a format that allows them to analyse the results of the scan and calculate a total calcium score. 

 

Who should consider having coronary calcium scoring?

There are a number of factors that can increase an individual's risk of coronary heart disease, so consider getting scanned if you fall into the following categories:

  • Men over 45 or women who have passed menopause or are age 55 or greater
  • Abnormal cholesterol levels
  • Family history of heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Smoker
  • Obese
  • Physically inactive