Preventative Scanning Screening using the Coronary Artery Calcification Scan
Coronary artery calcification (CAC) scan (also known as calcium scan test) is a CT scan of your heart that detects and measures the amount of calcium present in the walls of your coronary arteries. This allows CAC scans to be used as a preventive screening measure for coronary heart disease (CHD) to better manage at-risk and asymptomatic patients alike. A panel of expert cardiologists that presented during Right Care Initiative 2015 Summit provided us with data showing that use of CAC scanning can be used as a marker of CHD and improve outcomes.
The following algorithm is a recommendation from that panel:
Right Care Initiative Research Team Subject Brief:
Screening: $150 cash price Coronary Artery CT Scans available at leading California medical centers in 3 major metro areas (San Jose; Sacramento; and Los Angeles):
- Stanford Health Care; LA BIOMED IN Los Angeles; and UC Davis Medical Center Preventive Cardiology are lowering the barrier to receiving the coronary artery calcium scan as a preventive screening test by offering it to patients for a cash price of $150 to receive this precision prevention information for understanding patients’ actual risk profile.
- Stanford Health Care Radiology Wellness Screening Program
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LA BIOMED Medical Center Appointment line: (310) 222-2773; HTTPS://LABIOMED.ORG/MATTHEW-J-BUDOFF-MD
- Gundersen Health System:
- CT Clinical Manager — Imaging Scheduling (608) 782-7300 ext. 53666
- UC Davis Health Referrals for CT Coronary Calcium:
- To Schedule appointments: Call 916-734-0655 or fax request to 916-734-2254. Include on fax or be prepared to provide on telephone: Full name, address, Date of Birth, telephone #, emergency contact (optional), Any Relevant Existing Diagnosis, Exam Requested: CT Coronary Calcium Scoring.
- Bring to test appointment: ID, Debit, Credit, or ATM card to be charged $150, or $150 cash.
Additional Literature on Guidelines, Treatment and Recommendations for Asymptomatic Adults and CAC Scores
- 2010 ACCF/AHA Guideline for Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in Asymptomatic Adults
- Arad et al. Treatment of Asymptomatic Adults with Elevated CAC Scores. JACC. 2005
- Mulders et al. Asymptomatic Individuals with family history for premature CAD and evevated CAC scores. St. Francis Heart Study.
- Rozanski et al. Impact of CAC Scanning on Coronary Risk Factors. JACC 2011
- Shaw et al. Induced Cardiovascular Procedural Costs and Resource Consumption Patterns after CAC Screening. JACC 2009
- Perrone-Filardi et al. CAC Recommendations ESC EHJ 2010
- 2013 ACC AHA Guideline on Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults
Cardiovascular Risk Calculators:
- Astro-CHARM – 10-Year ASCVD Risk Calculator with Coronary Artery Calcium
- American College of Cardiology atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk calculator tool
Supplemental Information:
- Irish Heart Disease Awareness’ video Widowmaker (discusses evidence-base for using the CAC scan for proactive screening similar to a mammogram for the heart, but with much less frequency): Irish Heart Disease Awareness – Heart Attacks, The Facts
- Studies Featured:
- The St. Francis Heart Study (Treatment of Asymptomatic Adults With Elevated Coronary Calcium Scores With Atorvastatin, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E)
- The EISNER Study (Early Identification of Subclinical Atherosclerosis by Noninvasive Imaging Research)
- The Courage Trial (Optimal Medical Therapy with or without percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for Stable Coronary Disease)
- 2010 ACCF/AHA Guideline for Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in Asymptomatic Adults
- 2013 European Society of Cardiology Guidelines on the Management of Stable Coronary Artery Disease
- Studies Featured:
- In the news: CAC Score Helps Calculate More Accurate Atherosclerotic CVD Risk
- CAC Scan Facts
- SHAPE 2 Guidelines 2014
- CSANZ CAC Algorithm
Last Revised: 8/4/17