Basic overview

• This test uses a CT machine to take a quick image of the calcium in the heart arteries. It does not involve any contrast and the radiation dose is very low.

• The amount of calcium within the arteries directly correlates to the risk of a heart attack, and is useful in guiding some forms of medical therapy (such as statins and aspirin) in patients without known heart artery disease.

Indications for the test

• Improved risk assessment to estimate the chance of a heart attack in the intermediate future (5-10 years)