What is a Coronary Calcium Score?
A coronary calcium scan (also called cardiac calcium scoring) is a painless imaging test that uses a special kind of X-ray to look for buildup of calcium (called coronary calcifications) in your coronary arteries that can lead to coronary artery disease if left untreated. There are two machines that can perform this test:
- Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT)
- Electron beam computed tomography (EBCT)
Both require you to lie still in a scanning machine for up to 30 minutes while they create images of your heart. You’ll also wear small pads on your chest, which will be connected to a machine that records your heart’s electrical activity.