CT Calcium Score: Purpose, Procedure, and Side Effects

 

CT Calcium Score: Purpose, Procedure, and Side Effects

 

CT calcium score is one of the cardiac imaging procedures, to determine your risk of heart attack. The risk of heart attack increases when the heart's blood vessels are narrowed or blocked, either by plaque or calcium build-up.

This procedure is a non-invasive procedure. Patients can resume normal activities immediately after the procedure. The following is an explanation of the CT Calcium Score heart procedure.
 

What is CT calcium score of the heart ?

CT calcium score of the heart is a CT scan examination procedure of the heart that aims to see whether there is calcium buildup or plaque in the coronary arteries. Just like other computerized tomography (CT) procedures, this procedure also uses X-ray assistance to get a clear picture of the structure of the heart and blood vessels.

Plaque in the arteries of the heart can form from the buildup of hardened fat. This can make the arteries narrow and reduce blood flow to the heart. As a result, a person is at a higher risk of having a heart attack. In other words, cardiac CT calcium score is a useful test to detect a person's risk of having a heart attack.

This procedure is also known as coronary artery calcium (CAC) test, coronary calcium CT scan, and heart CT calcium scan.
 

Who needs a Heart CT Calcium Score ?

If you have risk factors for heart disease but no symptoms, undergoing this test will be very beneficial. Because, through this test you can also prevent it at the same time.

Through this test, the doctor can also determine the right treatment plan.

The following are some people who should undergo CT calcium score of the heart:

• 40-70 years old with a risk of heart disease
• Have a family history of heart disease
• Have been or are still smokers
• Have a history of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol
• Are overweight or obese
• Have a sedentary lifestyle (physically inactive / rarely exercise)

Benefits of CT Calcium Score Heart

The CT Calcium Score procedure is useful for detecting heart disease and preventing heart attacks, even before symptoms appear. This examination can see the presence or absence of calcium buildup which can inform doctors of the risk of heart attack in patients.

Some of the benefits of performing CT calcium score include:

• Knowing how much risk you have for heart disease
• Planning treatment if you have a low risk of heart disease

For optimal results, it is recommended that you have a CT Calcium Score checkup every 3-5 years, if the previous test results are normal and to ascertain whether your risk remains low.

If the test results are abnormal, you will need to have another heart screening.

The CT calcium score examination is not intended for people who have had a heart attack, heart ring, or heart bypass.

This is because people who have experienced these conditions already have a high risk of heart disease and even have it. Thus, undergoing a CT calcium score examination will not provide additional information on your heart condition.
 

CT calcium score procedure

The calcium score test uses a CT machine to scan your heart. This process only lasts about 20-30 minutes.

The following is the CT calcium score procedure:

• You will be asked to lie down on the CT scan table.
• A nurse or technician will place electrodes on your chest to monitor electrical activity in the heart (ECG). The ECG can also help the CT scan get a clearer picture.
• When finished, the table will then move slowly into the scanning machine.
• The scanner will then rotate to get images of the heart from various angles.
• The nurse or technician in the monitor room may ask you to hold your breath over the intercom for certain angles.

Before the procedure, your doctor may give you medication to slow down your heart rate so that the scanner can get clear images.
 

Cardiac CT Calcium Score Results

A positive CT calcium score indicates calcium buildup in the arteries. In addition, the CT calcium score of the heart will also be accompanied by a number.

The CT calcium score will range from 0-1,000. The higher the number, the higher your risk of coronary artery disease, including heart attack.

The following is how to read the CT calcium score of the heart:

• Result 0: no calcium buildup detected, very low risk of coronary heart disease
• Result 0-10: minimal calcium buildup detected, slight risk of heart disease
• Result 1-99: mild calcium buildup detected, slightly increased risk of heart disease
• Result 100-399: moderately thick/moderate calcium buildup, the risk of heart disease increases quite a lot
• Result above 400: thick calcium buildup, high risk of heart disease

Risks of CT Calcium Score

CT calcium score is a procedure that tends to be safe and has minimal side effects. This examination does not use contrast fluid, so you will not experience side effects due to contrast fluid.

In addition, the radiation exposure released by the CT scan machine tends to be safe, especially if done at the age before 40 because it is equivalent to the sun exposure you get naturally.

You can also resume your normal activities immediately after the test.

However, pregnant women may not be advised to do this examination because CT calcium score uses radiation that can affect the fetus.

For those who already have a known history of heart disease, CT calcium score of the heart may not provide new information, it is better to consult a specialist first to find out if this is the right test for you. 

 

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