Heart scan test

[Kellygirl6]

Hi friends,

My doctor has ordered a calcium heart scan which I am doing tomorrow. (Due to history of high cholesterol and BP, he thought it would be good to have).  I am a 39 year old female.  Feeling a little worried about this test and nervous about my possible score. With my background, I don't feel confident that my score will be zero.  Has anyone had this test done?  What can you tell me about it?  Does a score greater than zero mean that you HAVE heart disease?  A big part of me doesn't even want to know. Many thanks in advance!

[flightcrew]

I would be interested in knowing what you find out.
Please see my post under Positive Stress Test - Hyperparathryoidism on 6/8 too.  It explains my background.
I had life long high blood calcium from the disorder and I am reading about calcifications in the arteries.  I wonder if this can be from having too high of blood calcium and causing my arteries to be blocked?  

[va_tony]

I had a heart scan a little over a month ago and I'm really glad I did. It wasn't covered by my insurance and I paid the $995 cost myself.But iIt was a good investment. My insurance carrier, Aetna, wanted me to get a catheter angiogram instead.  But the heart scan, also called a CT-angiogram, is non-invasive like an MRI and I preferred to take that route-- quick and painless.

The test itself just takes a few minutes.  You can google calcium heart scan or CT-angiogram and read about the procedure. They put an IV in your arm and place you in an MRI-like scanner. A dye is injected and they ask you to hold your breath a few times while they scan. It's over before you know it.

In my case, they couldn't give me the test the first time because I was in afib. You heart rate needs to be in normal sinus rhythm and beating relatively slowly (about 60 .... so they sometimes also administer a beta blocker to get it into the right range) or they can't obtain a clear picture. A week or so later I was back in NSR and they adminsitered the scan without a problem.

Your cariologist then gets a written report plus a CD with a 3-D image of the coronary arteries of your heart.  In my case, it showed only three small partial blocks (<30%). The pictures themselve did not look bad at all. Unfortunately, my calcium score was awful at 730. This placed me in the 90th percentile for my age (64), race and sex. Still, knowledge is power and it's far better that I know the score instead of say having a heart attack within 5 years. Instead, I am now making the lifestyle changes needed to avoid that (lose weight, exercise more, taking meds). My cardiologist prescribed Lipitor, which lowered my cholesterol from 210 to 131. He didn't seem to be that concerned but from what I read, the score is pretty bad.  Anyone here can give me any insight on how bad that number is?

Anyway, try not to worry about your calcium score beforehand.  Better to know what's what and be forwarned (if such be the case) then not to know. Like a not, you'll have a very low score that you can brag about.

Best of luck

Tony

[kitcurious]

I had the calcium scoring test recently. Cardiologist recommended it because my father and aunt both had MIs in their 30's. My aunt died after the first attack and my father died at 43, of a scond or thrid HA.

I personally have no symptoms of CAD, normal cholesterol (fabulous HDL) and I paid the $415.00 anyway.
My score was predictably zero.

My lifestye is different from my dad's and my Aunt had thyroid disease ( as do I, I was just put on meds, but hers was advanced and not treated) so, on one level I feel I wasted the money.
Yes, I understand why the doctor was alarmed at the family history.

The test took no time and I got a copy of my results for potential (yeah right) insurance reimbursement in about 3 days.

If you have symptoms, or test results that indicate a good use for the test, you might as well have it. At least it's fast and non invasive.

The score is bundeled into groupings of severity.

Just search under "calcium scoring heart Ct" and you will get examples of what the scores mean.

[Kellygirl6]

I just got back from the test and the technician said that it still has to be read by a doctor, but she saw no calcium.  I am taking that as a good sign and hoping that means a low score.  Thanks to all for your posts and encouragement.  You have all been so nice to me.