Calcium Scoring

What is it
It is a painless, safe, and accurate one-minute test that can tell whether or not one is at risk for heart attack. It involves multislice CT to evaluate the presence of calcium deposits as a marker of early coronary artherosclerosis.

Why is it done?
By evaluating and measuring the calcium build up in your coronary arteries, one can calculate your risk of heart attack, and give you the opportunity to seek treatment and make appropriate life-style changes.... and give you peace of mind that you are now in charge of your health. It is usually advised for individuals at a high risk for developing coronary artery disease. It may pick up beginning of CAD much before a TMT can detect it.

When is it done?
It is usually advised for individuals at a high risk for developing coronary artery disease. It may pick up beginning of CAD much before a TMT can detect it. The people at high risk for CAD are those with one or more of following:

  • High Blood Pressure
  • Diabetes
  • High Cholesterol
  • Family History of Heart Disease
  • Smoker
  • Sedentary Life Style
  • Overweight by 20% or more
  • High stress lifestyle
  • Men over 40 years old andWomen over 50 years old

How is it done?
It is performed on an advanced 16 slice CT scanner. The speed & multislice function of this scanner can freeze cardiac motion during a single breath hold & allows multiple fine slices of the heart to be evaluated for the presence of Calcium, the marker for plaque. A special scan is taken of heart during one breath hold, lasting about 20 seconds. This procedure requires no injections, treadmills, or any other preparation such as fasting. The information obtained will then be subjected to a computer assisted analysis with special calcium scoring software that measures the amount of calcium in coronary arteries.

How to Avail it?
One has to dial 26825000, 26825004, and 26825005 and take an appointment for a suitable date for check-up. One may also fix up the appointment through the internet (ehirc.com).

Before ... Precautions & prerequisites
No specific preparation is required for carrying out this test.