St Vincents Private Hospitals

A CT calcium score, or CTCS, evaluates the amount of plaque that has built up in your heart vessels, a symptom which is a strong indicator of coronary heart disease. The level of calcium recorded during the CT scan has direct equivalence to the extent of any plaque build-up in your arteries. 

The calcium score is an important health indicator as it helps your doctor understand whether you are at risk of a heart attack, stroke, or heart disease – particularly if there are no other signs that place you at high or low risk. It is especially helpful for those patients at increased risk of heart disease through a family history or lifestyle choices, but who may be without symptoms. The results of the CT calcium score test can help determine whether any treatment is necessary.

How does is it work?

To obtain the calcium score, patients are referred for a CT cardiac scan where special X-ray equipment is used to scan the heart and produce detailed pictures of the coronary arteries. The aim of the procedure is to determine if there is any indication of coronary artery disease, and to what degree it is present. 

A negative calcium score shows there is no calcification in the coronary arteries, whereas a positive calcium score means that there is some calcium present. The amount of calcification identified can help to predict the likelihood of heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke in the future.