Download What is cardiac scoring

What is cardiac scoring?
Cardiac scoring (or coronary artery calcium scoring) is a noninvasive, painless screening of the
heart for calcium deposits in the coronary arteries, which are the blood vessels that bring oxygen
and nutrients to the heart. As calcium deposits build up, the blood vessels narrow, allowing less
blood and oxygen to the heart. Coronary calcium can develop as early as the second decade of
life. Although it is more common in advanced age, coronary calcium is not an inevitable part of
aging. Calcium deposits can be absent in normal vessel walls, regardless of age.
Cardiac scoring is performed in just 20 seconds on a multislice computed tomography (CT)
scanner and is extremely accurate in detecting the presence, extent, and severity of hard plaque
burden within the coronary arteries. Hard plaque is a known indicator of coronary artery disease
(CAD). Prior to advancements in CT scanning, it was extremely difficult to detect the very small
calcium deposits that form in the early stages of heart disease. However, with multislice CT
scanning, even miniscule calcium deposits can be detected easily.
Why is getting a cardiac score important?
Coronary artery disease (CAD) or atherosclerosis is the #1 cause of death of both men and
women, claiming over 500,000 lives each year. Over 400 people under age 65 die each day from
cardiac events (ie, death, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and stroke) related to
CAD, many without prior symptoms or warning. Typically, patients are diagnosed with CAD when
they have already shown symptoms (eg, chest pain, fatigue), responded abnormally to stress
testing, or undergone cardiac angiography. This means that the opportunity for prevention is lost
and the patient may have already suffered irreversible consequences or a cardiac event.
Cardiac scoring can detect coronary calcium in its early stages. Early detection allows for positive
lifestyle changes to be made that will help prevent or minimize further progression of CAD or
cardiac events. Currently, preventive therapies for heart disease include blood pressure and lipid
control, smoking cessation, diet, and regular exercise. The use of statins to reduce blood
cholesterol has been shown to decrease the risk of heart attack by one third.
Who should have cardiac scoring?
Cardiac scoring is recommended for generally healthy, asymptomatic males over age 45 and
females over age 55 who are at risk for CAD. Individuals with a strong family history of heart
disease may want to undergo cardiac scoring as early as age 35 or 45. The following are major
risk factors for CAD:
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Family history of coronary artery disease
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
History of smoking
Diabetes
Obesity
Sedentary lifestyle
High level of stress
Cardiac scoring is not recommended for persons with multiple stents, arrhythmias or with relative
resting tachycardia (heart rate greater than 90 beats per minute). A high or irregular heart rate
makes ECG gating of the heart difficult, resulting in poor image quality. However, these
conditions can be treated, making a cardiac scoring examination possible.
How does cardiac scoring work?
CT stands for computed tomography, a process by which a digital picture is made by a
computer after low-dose x-rays record a slice or cross section of the body. A CT scanner is a
diagnostic tool which, for cardiac scoring, allows visualization of the heart and its internal
structures. The word "slice" is often used to explain the images taken of patient anatomy because
they are similar to a single slice of bread taken from a whole loaf.
During the cardiac scoring procedure, the patient is asked to lie on the table of the CT scanner.
This tabletop moves the patient’s body through the CT scanner’s gantry which houses an x-ray
tube and detectors. The tube rotates around the patient as x-rays pass through the body to the
detectors, where thousands of x-ray measurements are recorded. Next, the computer processes
this information and displays the corresponding images on a computer screen. This imaging
technique avoids any overlap of organs or tissues.
Our multislice GE scanner can capture these images of the heart during a single breath-hold,
which means less stress and discomfort for the patient and a faster examination time. The
cardiac scoring procedure takes only 5 minutes because the BrightSpeed Plus CT scanner can
take 8 thin slices of the heart per second. This high scanning speed allows for clearer, sharper
images with fewer artifacts (false images due to blurring) caused by movement of the body.
What does a cardiac score mean?
A cardiac score can range from zero to several thousand and is based on the amount of
calcification detected in the coronary arteries. The more calcium that is seen in the coronary
arteries, the greater the score. This score is an indicator of your level of hard plaque burden. A
very low score means that there is virtually no obstructive disease in the coronary arteries,
whereas a high score indicates that the level of hard plaque burden is extensive and the risk of a
future cardiac event is significant. The following chart outlines what specific ranges of scores
mean and the recommendations a physician is likely to make based on these scores.
Prep
We advise patients to not exercise, drink caffeine or smoke 4 hours prior to the exam in
order to keep the heart rate as low as possible.
Cost
Mosaic Outpatient Imaging offers the study for $50, which includes the radiologist
“reading” fee.
To schedule an appointment please call 1 800 455 2479, no order required.