High speed, multi-detector,
spiral tomography!

What is high speed, multi-detector, spiral tomography?
This is a new approach to cardiac (heart) imaging. Using the latest generation of a super fast CT scanner, it is now possible to take pictures of the human heart. These pictures show the amount of calcium in your coronary arteries.

Patient A: Low RisK, Score 5 46-year-old male; history of father's side having coronary heart disease; no previous surgeries; no risk of high blood pressure; not diabetic; no previous stroke; nonsmoker; and low cholesterol.

Patient B: High RisK, Score 900 51-year-old male; history of both parents having coronary heart disease; no previous surgeries; high risk blood pressure; not diabetic; no previous stroke; current smoker; and high cholesterol.

What is Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring (CACS)?
Once pictures of your heart are taken, they can be analyzed for the amount of calcium. This is then converted to a score. The score can be compared to a large number of others to help determine your risk of a heart attack or to help guide and follow treatment. In other words, it can help your doctor prevent your heart attack or see if treatment of your cholesterol is working.

Why is CACS important?
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the number one cause of death in the developed world. The lifetime chance of a man getting CAD is 50 percent, and a woman 33 percent. If a person develops chest pain, they already have a blockage of about 70 percent of at least one of the coronary arteries. About two-thirds of people who have a heart attack have only a 50 percent blockage. Their first symptom is a heart attack. About one-third of these people die! With CACS, your doctor can detect CAD before symptoms or a heart attack. If your CACS is high for your age, your risk of heart attack is about 10 times greater than a lower score. By comparison, a high cholesterol (240 mg/dl or above) shows a risk of 1.8 times greater and high blood pressure shows a risk of 1.2 times greater than normal people.

How long does it take to do all this?
The test is done in a single breath hold.

What does the test involve for me?
The scanner includes all of the current state-of-the-art advances in CT technology. You will be asked to complete a short risk assessment questionnaire and the procedure will be explained. Three EKG electrodes will be placed on your chest and you will be asked to lie down on a bed. The scan takes a few seconds. Unless specifically requested, no IV or dye is needed. A report will be generated by the radiologist and explained to you by your doctor.