Family history, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and diabetes are all factors leading to a good reason to get a heart calcium scoring exam.
Locations
A CT calcium score exam at one of the following locations below. Please contact the location to confirm pricing and availability.
CommonSpirit - Penrose Hospital
2222 N Nevada Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
CommonSpirit - St. Francis Hospital – Interquest
10860 New Allegiance Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80921
How it works:
- Using a high speed, low dose CT scanner, we look inside the heart, on the walls of the arteries to check for buildup of calcium.
- The calcium score measures the amount of build up which is an indication of heart disease and helps determine your risk of heart disease.
- The best thing about this test is there is virtually no prep required to take it outside of no nicotine and caffeine for 12 hours prior to the test.
- This test is not normally covered by insurance plans, so you will have to pay out of pocket costs for this exam. Please confirm pricing and availability with each location.
- Results of the test will be sent to you and your physician so you can talk about future actions.
What do the scores mean?
- Calcium score of 101-400 means a larger amount of plaque is present and your chance of having a heart attack is moderate to high.
- Calcium score of 1-100 means a minimal or mild amount of plaque is present
- Calcium score of zero means there is a high probability that you have little or no hard plaque in your arteries.
Benefits of the CT Calcium Scoring Exam:
- One of the most advanced methods available to determine heart disease in its earliest stages.
- A calcium scoring is a convenient and noninvasive way of evaluating your coronary arteries.
- The test takes little time and causes no pain.
- The exam does not require any injections.
- Measuring the calcified plaque can be a helpful tool for your doctor. In conjunction with other information it can determine your risk of a future heart attack.
