General Radiography (x-rays)
CT Cardiovascular Disease Screening - Cardiac Calcium Scan
CT Cardiac Calcium Scan — Specialized CT (computed tomography) imaging provides precise images of the heart that reveal how much calcium is present within the blood vessels of the heart itself—a reliable marker for the presence of heart disease. This exam helps patients and their physicians measure the level of cardiac risk and give them the opportunity to take preventive measures, when appropriate.
Heart Health Facts
- Heart disease is the number one cause of death in developed countries
- Each year over 1.5 million heart attacks occur in the United States
- Up to 500,000 deaths in the United States each year are the result of heart attacks
- In up to 50% of all heart attacks, the heart attack itself is the first symptom of the disease
- When detected, the progression of atherosclerotic heart disease can be halted or potentially reversed
How Coronary Artery Disease Develops
Coronary artery disease is caused by build-up of material in vessel walls, a condition known as atherosclerosis. It begins as soft plaque, comprised of fatty material—lipids—with a thin capsule. The body attempts to firm up these plaques by depositing calcium. A fairly direct relationship exists between the amount of “hard”, calcified plaque and the total amount of atherosclerotic disease.
The Value of Detecting Calcium
CT cardiac calcium scoring uses very high-speed CT scanners to identify and quantify the amount of calcium in heart vessels. This total score is a good indication of both the amount of “hard”, calcified atherosclerotic plaque and also indirectly the amount of “soft”, non-calcified atherosclerotic plaque.
The Harmony and Centerra Imaging Centers' CT Scanners
Multi-slice CT scanners are the latest innovation in computed tomography (CT) machines. CT scanners traditionally made individual image slices throughout the patient’s anatomy using an x-ray beam rotating in a complete circle around the patient for each separate slice. New multi-slice helical scanners have several x-ray beams traveling together to create overlapping spirals, rather than individual circles, with scanning duration a fraction of the time it took with previous scanners.
AMIC has the latest multi-slice CT scanning technology, employing among the fastest rotational speeds of any available multi-slice scanner. These scanners are able to visualize cardiac calcification with a single image set, overcoming image blur encountered with routine CT scanners due to the intrinsic contractile motion of the heart.
Patients find multi-slice scanning to be quick and convenient:
- patients can remain in street clothing
- no preparation is required
- images are acquired during a single breath hold
- no injections or blood draws are needed
- the entire examination takes less than 5 minutes
AMIC uses the fastest rotational speed of any available multi-slice scanning in Northern Colorado, providing information in a fraction of the time required by previous scanners with advanced technology.
The Cardiac Calcium Score
Your cardiac calcium score report will contain a total calcium score, with reference to score ranges for your gender and age group. It will also give individual scores for each of the major heart arteries. The report will classify you into a disease risk category, with some basic suggestions about how to approach continuing healthcare.
Who Should Have the Exam?
Patients concerned about their cardiac risk can refer themselves to The Imaging Center at the Harmony Campus (Ft. Collins) or at the Centerra Campus (Loveland) for a CT Cardiac Calcium study. Physicians can similarly refer patients to either location, and subsequently guide clinical management based on the results. Those for whom the benefit is most pronounced are men ages 35 to 65 and women ages 40 to 70.
A patient undergoes a cardiac scoring exam using advanced CT scanner technology.
Who Will Not Benefit From The Exam?
Young adults (men younger than 35, women younger than 40) probably will not benefit unless there are increased risks associated with other diseases such as diabetes or a strong family history of heart disease. Elderly adults (men older than 65, women older than 70) probably will not have significant benefits with respect to treatment planning.
People with prior heart attack, coronary artery stent placement, or cardiac surgery also are not good candidates. These patients are more appropriately managed with more aggressive stress testing or angiography.
Making an Appointment
Cardiac CT imaging is currently available at The Imaging Center (Harmony Campus) in Fort Collins, Colorado, and The Imaging Center (Centerra Campus) in Loveland, Colorado. Additional information can be obtained by calling 970-282-2900 or 970-282-2912; a receptionist will direct you to someone who can answer your questions.