Calcium Scoring

Calcium scoring is a noninvasive and painless way of obtaining information about the location and extent of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries.

About 50% of sudden deaths occurs in patients that have never shown any previous symptoms

Calcium Scoring allows us to detect the calcium deposits that can form on the coronary arteries in 1 minute, and therefore detect the risk of a heart attack caused by these deposits narrowing or even blocking these arteries.

The calcium deposits are directly related to the presence of atheromas in the coronary arteries and the risk of cardiac diseases in the future, but not the percentage of narrowing of the arteries. These calcium deposits normally begin to form a few years before the symptoms begin to show. Early detection and the change of risk factors, like smoking or the intake of products that can produce high cholesterol, can slow down the development of a coronary disease.

A low count suggests a low probability of developing a cardiac complaint, but doesn't exclude the possibility of a significant narrowing of the coronary arteries. The results must be discussed with your specialist in order to asses if further studies are needed, like a virtual coronariography, once the risk factors like age, gender, family history, diabetes, smoker or non smoker or high cholesterol levels, have been taken into account.