Coronary calcium scans may push some to adopt healthy heart habits
Jane E. Brody, a personal health columnist for the New York Times, recalled a time a few years back when her brother decided to request a calcium heart scan that, fortunately, didn't reveal any major problems. Still, the memory prompted her to pen a column about the noninvasive imaging technique.
In an April 2 editorial, Brody spoke with John Mandrola, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Baptist Health in Kentucky, about the benefits and risks of a coronary calcium scan. He pointed out that current nonmedical ways of assessing heart attack risk are imprecise, but when findings are combined with a heart scan, results can give a better picture of potential heart risk.
A coronary calcium scan runs about $100, according to the report. The other popular noninvasive heart imaging technique, a CT angiogram, is typically covered by insurers.
In the case of Brody’s brother, he thought the extra cash was worth it. He took the results of the scan to mean he was healthy, but not as an invitation to “throw caution to the wind,” Brody wrote.
Those who do present signs of calcium deposits may be motivated “to make healthy lifestyle changes,” according to Mandrola. In fact, a six-study analysis involving 11,000 patients who were told they had coronary blockages were two to three times more likely than those with zero calcium to pick-up potentially heart-saving behavior.
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.