Coronary heart disease

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a type of heart disease, is the end result of the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the myocardium. While the symptoms and signs of heart disease are noted in the advanced state of disease, most individuals with coronary heart disease show no evidence of disease for decades as the disease progresses before the first onset of symptoms, often a "sudden" heart attack, finally arise. After decades of progression, some of these atheromatous plaques may rupture and start limiting blood flow to the heart muscle. The disease is the most common cause of sudden death.

Heart Scan

As part of your total body scan, the radiologist will perform a detailed scan of your heart in order to determine if there is calcium in your coronary arteries that will cause coronary artery disease. CT is a highly sensitive technique for detecting coronary artery calcification and is being used to screen asymptomatic people in order to assess those at high risk for developing heart disease. According to statistics, 40% of deaths in the UK are related to heart disease. One of the ways to reduce the mortality rate for heart disease is to identify those at high risk for coronary artery disease and implement appropriate treatment before symptoms occur. The radiologist will review your calcium score in the context of your medical and family risk factors for cardiac disease and recommend appropriate follow-up or risk factor modification individually tailored to your specific situation.

Heart Scan

Although a physician referral is not required for a Heart Scan, it is recommended that you work closely with your doctor and discuss your risk factors for heart disease and heart attack. Getting a Heart Scan is both quick and painless. You will be asked to put on a gown and will then have EKG leads placed on your chest. After the test, you will receive a preliminary photo printout of your results. A final report will be mailed to you within a few days of your test. There is little or no preparation required, and the entire process should take less than an hour. The actual time in the CT scanner is 5 minutes. The result of the heart scan will be read by both a cardiologist and a radiologist and will show your risk of coronary artery disease. A limited portion of the lung is also included on the scan and will be evaluated.