Cardiac Calcium Scoring: The 5-Minute Heart Disease Test

Heart disease remains the number one killer of Americans. A simple, 5-minute CT scan can measure calcium deposits in your coronary arteries — one of the strongest predictors of future heart attack risk.

What Is a Calcium Score?

As heart disease develops, calcium deposits build up in the walls of the coronary arteries (the vessels that supply blood to your heart). A cardiac calcium score CT scan detects and quantifies these deposits using a low-dose, non-contrast CT.

The test produces a number — your Agatston coronary calcium score — that directly correlates with your heart disease risk.

What the Scores Mean

• 0: No calcium detected. Very low risk of heart attack in the next 5-10 years.
• 1-100: Mild plaque. Low-to-moderate risk. Lifestyle modifications recommended.
• 101-300: Moderate plaque. Significant risk. Aggressive prevention recommended.
• Over 300: Severe plaque. High risk. Medical intervention typically needed.
• Over 1,000: Extensive disease. Very high risk. Urgent cardiology follow-up.

A score of zero is particularly powerful — it essentially rules out significant coronary artery disease and predicts very low event rates over the following decade.

Why It Matters

Traditional risk factors (cholesterol, blood pressure, family history, smoking) estimate your risk based on population averages. A calcium score shows what is actually happening in YOUR arteries.

Two people with identical cholesterol levels can have dramatically different calcium scores — and dramatically different actual risk. The calcium score adds critical information that blood tests alone cannot provide.

Who Should Get One?

The test is most valuable for people at intermediate cardiac risk — those who are not clearly low-risk or high-risk. Consider a calcium score if you are age 40-75, have one or more cardiac risk factors (high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, smoking history, family history of early heart disease), and want objective data to guide prevention decisions.

The test is generally NOT recommended if you are already diagnosed with heart disease, already had a heart attack, stent, or bypass surgery, or are under 40 with no risk factors.

The Test Is Simple

• No preparation needed — no fasting, no IV, no contrast dye
• You lie on the CT table and hold your breath for about 5 seconds
• Total time: Under 5 minutes
• Results: Available immediately — your score is calculated by computer
• Radiation: Very low — about 1 mSv (equivalent to 4 months of background radiation)

Insurance Coverage

Cardiac calcium scoring is typically not covered by insurance because it is considered a screening test. However, the out-of-pocket cost is very affordable — often comparable to a gym membership — and the information it provides can be life-saving.

Schedule Your Calcium Score

Call (727) 398-5999 to schedule. The test takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish.