Heart screening and imaging

Coronary artery disease impacts millions of lives and is the most common type of heart disease in the United States. The cause of this disease is often build-up of cholesterol inside the lining of the coronary arteries, forming plaque. The plaque can partially or totally block blood flow in the large arteries of the heart. Many people living with coronary artery disease have no symptoms and do not know they have coronary heart disease until they have a cardiac event, such as a heart attack or cardiac arrest.

A cardiac calcium scoring test may be useful in determining your potential risk of a heart attack or other heart conditions. A non-invasive computed tomography (CT) scan determines the amount of calcified plaque in your coronary arteries. Your doctor can use this information to determine your risk for heart disease and recommend the appropriate treatment, including diet and lifestyle changes, medication and/or further testing.

Although anyone concerned about their risk for heart disease can talk to their doctor about options for determining their risk, cardiac calcium scoring test is often recommended to people with the following risk factors:

• Age (Men over age 45 and women over age 55)
• Diabetes
• Family history of stroke or heart disease
• High cholesterol or blood pressure
• Overweight by 10 pounds or more
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Smoking

Due to the small amount of radiation produced by the CT scan used during cardiac calcium scoring, this test is not recommended to people who:

• Are pregnant or think they might be pregnant
• Are under the age of 40 or over the age of 80
• Have already had a cardiac calcium screening in the last two to three years
• Have previously experienced a heart attack, open heart surgery, coronary stent, stroke or other serious cardiovascular event, as these require other medical therapies

Walk-ins are welcome at many locations.

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