An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When it comes to your heart health, one of the best ways to make sure your heart is functioning as it should is through a preventative diagnostic scan like a calcium scan.
It will give you insight into your overall cardiovascular health, what you can do to address heart health concerns that may arise, and how to adapt lifestyle changes for a stronger, healthier heart.
At Preventative Diagnostic Center, we can help you take the next step toward a healthier future. We proudly offer calcium scans, a type of preventive health scan that will offer detailed insight into the performance of your heart. Ready to learn more about or schedule a preventative medical scan near you? Turn to our team today and get ahead of your heart health.
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What Is a Calcium Scan?
A calcium scan, also known as a coronary calcium scan, is a type of CT or computerized tomography scan that is done on your heart. The scan creates a digital image of your heart. With this image, your care provider can evaluate your heart health.
The purpose of the scan is to evaluate if there’s calcium buildup in your heart’s arteries and how your blood flow and overall heart health might be impacted as a result.
When there is calcium buildup in your arteries, this can make it difficult for blood to flow properly to the heart because your arteries have become narrow. It’s this plaque or calcium buildup that leads to heart health conditions like coronary artery disease.
What Do the Results of a Calcium Scan Mean?
After you undergo a calcium scan, you will receive a calcium score ranging from zero to 1,000, or higher. Generally, the higher the score, the higher your risk of coronary artery disease. The following guidelines are used to interpret the score you receive:
- 100 or less (mild proof of coronary artery disease)
- Up to 400 (moderate amount of proof that you have CAD)
- Above 400 (strong proof of CAD)
How Does a Calcium Scan Help in Detecting Heart Disease?
When you have a calcium scan done, you’ll be able to better assess your overall health and take action if any treatments are required. When the calcium scan is conducted, it allows your doctor to evaluate the blood flow to your heart, they can determine your risk of certain conditions, such as a heart attack or a stroke.
Understanding your risk factors for such diseases will allow you to take action that can help stop or even reverse some of the health issues you’re facing.
Who Should Consider Getting a Calcium Scan?
A calcium scan can be helpful for individuals who are aged 40 to 70 years old. However, certain individuals should look at getting a calcium scan sooner than others. If any of the below categories apply to you, it’s worth considering scheduling a calcium heart scan:
- You have a family history of early coronary artery disease.
- Your family has a history of heart attacks.
- You have an intermediate risk of a heart attack or are unsure what your risks for a heart attack may be.
- You have high cholesterol, diabetes, or high blood pressure.
- You have a body mass index that classifies you as overweight or obese.
- You do not lead an active lifestyle.
How Often Should You Get a Calcium Scan?
As a general screening, you should aim to get a preventative heart scan completed every three to five years. Generally, you don’t need a repeat scan if you have already had a scan that yielded abnormal results. Instead, you should have regular scans to stay on top of your overall heart health.
Related: What Are Calcium Deposits?
What Are the Benefits of a Calcium Scan for Heart Health?
There are many benefits to getting a calcium scan done. The primary benefit is being able to take inventory of your overall heart health.
If you have a history of heart disease or other heart conditions in your family, a diagnostic scan will alert you to any health concerns that you might not be aware of.
More importantly, if there are abnormal results with your calcium scan, you’ll be able to get ahead of your health issues through an appropriate treatment plan.
How Accurate Is a Calcium Scan in Assessing Heart Disease Risk?
Although calcium scans are relatively new types of screenings in the medical field, they generally have a high accuracy level. This is because CT scans can generate high-quality images of the heart. These images are broken into thin sections, which, when compiled together, provide a relatively accurate image of calcium deposits that might exist in your heart’s arteries.
Are There Any Risks Associated With a Calcium Scan?
Calcium scans are non-invasive and, as a result, bring with them very little risk. Because this test exposes you to radiation to capture an image of your heart, there is a minimal risk of cancer that results from this radiation.
However, calcium scans expose you to the same amount of radiation you would encounter in any given year. It’s important to note that this scan can be harmful to a fetus. As a result, it is not recommended to receive a preventative medical scan, including a calcium scan, if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
How Does a Calcium Scan Compare To Other Heart Health Tests?
Because calcium scans are non-invasive and generate a high-resolution image of your heart, they are thought to be one of the most effective tests for identifying plaque buildup in the heart.
One of the most popular methods for gauging heart health is through a stress test. However, the stress test on your heart does not give an overall picture or literal image of your heart. Rather, the stress test offers insight into the function of your heart, and your provider will make conclusions based on the result of a stress test.
How Can a Calcium Scan Impact Your Overall Heart Health Management Plan?
When you undergo a diagnostic scan like a calcium scan, you gain insight into your overall heart health. With this, you and your medical care provider can create a treatment plan that will meet your unique health needs.
Calcium scans play a pivotal role in your overall heart health management plan because they determine what lifestyle changes you need to make and what activities you should engage in or steer clear of to help improve your heart health.
Book Your Calcium Scan Today
Ready to take control of your heart health? At Preventative Diagnostic Center, you’ll have access to quality care and state-of-the-art technology that will provide you with more insight into your overall heart health. Take the next step toward a healthier future, and schedule your calcium scan today.
Book your CT scan today
Sources:
Computed Tomography (CT) Scans and Cancer. (2024).
Coronary Artery Calcification. (2024).
Mohan, J., et al. (2023). Coronary Artery Calcification.
