Coronary Calcium Scan

A coronary calcium scan is a test to help determine the presence of coronary artery disease. It determines the presence, location and extent of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries, which supply oxygen-containing blood to the heart muscle.

Calcified plaque signals the presence of atherosclerosis, also known as coronary artery disease (CAD), a disease of the vessel walls.  Because calcium is a marker of CAD, the amount of calcium detected on a cardiac CT scan is helpful in assessing risk factors and developing a treatment plan.