Coronary Calcium Score
A quick CT scan that measures the amount of calcified plaque in your heart arteries to assess your risk of a future heart attack.
The coronary artery calcium (CAC) score is a low-dose CT scan that quantifies calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. It is the most effective non-invasive cardiovascular risk assessment tool for people without symptoms, providing prognostic information independent of traditional risk factors.
Book This Evaluation
A quick, low-dose CT scan quantifies the amount of calcium buildup in the coronary arteries to assess early heart disease.
How It's Performed
No preparation, fasting, contrast injection, or medication adjustments are required. Patients lie in a CT scanner for approximately five minutes while ECG-gated images are captured during a breath-hold. Radiation exposure is approximately 1–2 mSv — comparable to transatlantic flight radiation.
Agatston Score Interpretation
- 0 — No calcified plaque; very low near-term cardiac event risk
- 1–99 — Mild atherosclerosis; risk factor optimisation recommended
- 100–399 — Moderate-to-high atherosclerotic burden; statin therapy indicated
- 400+ — High coronary plaque burden; aggressive medical therapy needed
What It Detects
Calcium deposits in the coronary arteries as a reliable indicator of overall plaque burden, including both calcified and non-calcified components. A score of zero confers very low risk even in the presence of traditional risk factors.
Who Should Get It
- Asymptomatic individuals aged 40–75 with cardiovascular risk factors
- Intermediate-risk patients where treatment decisions (e.g. starting statins) are uncertain
- Patients wanting objective cardiovascular risk data beyond standard blood tests
Ready to Schedule Your Coronary Calcium Score?
Most evaluations are available on the same day as your consultation with Dr. Peter Chang at Paragon Medical Centre, Singapore.