Heart calcium scoring test

wonderfulworld · ‎12-05-2012

This is a type of cat scan you have to pay for yourself. It measures calcium in the heart arteries.

Insurance does not cover it and it is around $150.00

Has anyone had this done. Is it of any value in an asymptomatic person in their late 60's?

Many thanks for your thoughts.

hoosieroriginal · ‎03-04-2012

Yes, our hospital had a special for $99. It was easy and well worth the peace of mind. My calcium rating was only about 2% which made me feel pretty good. I had no heart symptoms, just heart problems in my family.

Zhills · ‎11-15-2011

If you have calcium in your heart wouldn't you have it in your carotid arteries first? An Echocardiogram shows that.

Shelbelle · ‎03-09-2010

We are on our 60's, my internist recommended it to me a few years ago just as a routine screening, I was hesitant. My DH asked his internist about it, and he said he could get much more info about his heart by sending him for a stress test, and does not recommend it routinely. Neither one of us had it done. A coworker of mine had it done because her dentist found a lot of extra calcium deposits in her teeth xrays, her heart was fine.

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

@wonderfulworld

I have had many heart tests, but never this scan. My 2 heart attacks were both caused by a 100% blocked Right Coronary Artery. My Cardiologist told me that while this is a good test, it does not detect "soft plaque".

He said with my genetics and personal history, this test would not have shown my particular problem. Only a Heart Cath would detect it, which is how the blockage was cleared via that and Stent Angioplasty.

For me it would not have been worth the time or the money. Other than that, there are some that might benefit from this, I really don't know. Back to, everyone is unique. And me personally? If you trust your Cardiologist, it might be the best for you.

hckynut(john)

hckynut(john)

hoosieroriginal · ‎03-04-2012

@Zhills wrote:
If you have calcium in your heart wouldn't you have it in your carotid arteries first? An Echocardiogram shows that.

@Zhills - I had only 2% in my heart, but 49% in only one carotid which I recently had done. I was shocked and it's quite confusing for me. Going to talk to dr about it. So everyone should get their carotids checked out.

wonderfulworld · ‎12-05-2012

Thank you all for your replies.

I had both my carotid's done...no calcium. Very good results. But the Heart calcium scoring was kind of high.

I had them done at my request because of family history. The nurse said the heart was probably a 'false positive' since my cholesterol levels are so good and my carotid arteries were clear. My heart rate was pretty fast the tech said. Hard to get clear picture. I do not have a cardiologist (yet?) just my Internist who only ordered them at my request.

I am waiting to hear my Internist's recommendations.

wonderfulworld · ‎12-05-2012

@wonderfulworld wrote:
Thank you all for your replies.
I had both my carotid's done...no calcium. Very good results. But the Heart calcium scoring was kind of high.
I had them done at my request because of family history. The nurse said the heart was probably a 'false positive' since my cholesterol levels are so good and my carotid arteries were clear. My heart rate was pretty fast the tech said. Hard to get clear picture. I do not have a cardiologist (yet?) just my Internist who only ordered them at my request.
I am waiting to hear my Internist's recommendations.

ps...I don't want another as there is a fair amount of radiation in the heart scan. I know they are controversial and insurance will not pay for the test.