What is a calcium score test?
A calcium score test, or coronary calcium score, can provide valuable information about your heart health before you develop symptoms. It is a simple imaging test that can show if you have calcified plaque buildup on your artery walls and, if so, how much. Using this information, your healthcare provider can tell you whether you’re at risk of developing cardiovascular disease or having a heart attack.
Plaque develops without symptoms, and your score allows you and your provider to develop a treatment plan and other strategies to protect your heart.
Why a coronary calcium score is done
A coronary calcium score uses CT scans to look for calcium deposits, which show up as white spots on the images. The score can help determine whether you may benefit from treatments to address risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) and other heart conditions.
Plaque is made of calcium, cholesterol, fat and other substances. It can develop on the walls of your coronary arteries, the important blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to your heart.
The score can help determine whether you may benefit from treatments to address risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), which can develop over time from plaque buildup. Plaque in the coronary arteries can also break off to form blood clots, which, in turn, can cause heart attacks.
Who needs a coronary calcium scan?
You can have a calcium score test without a referral if you are a man aged 40 to 65 or a woman aged 45 to 70 and you have one of the following risk factors:
- High blood pressure, or hypertension
- Diabetes
- Family history of heart disease
- Low-density lipoprotein, or “bad cholesterol,” higher than 160
- Obesity
- Smoking
You will need a referral from your healthcare provider if you’re outside the recommended age range.
Your doctor likely won’t recommend coronary calcium scoring if you have had a heart attack, coronary bypass surgery or a coronary stent. In these cases, measuring the amount of calcium in your coronary arteries won’t inform diagnosis or treatment for prior heart events.
How often should you have a calcium score test?
Multiple factors are involved when determining the frequency of calcium score testing, including pre-existing conditions, age and family history. Your healthcare provider will work with you to develop an overall health and management plan that outlines options for frequency of testing based on your needs.
What to expect during a coronary calcium score
Preparing for a calcium score test
You don’t need to take any special steps to prepare for a coronary calcium scan. However, you should not drink caffeine or smoke for four hours before your test.
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes because you may need to wear a gown before your CT scan. It’s best to leave jewelry and other metal accessories at home. They can affect the results, so you will be asked to remove them.
During a calcium score test
You will lie down on an exam table that will move into the CT scanner, which will rotate around you to take images of your heart.
Your technologist may ask you to hold your breath periodically to help ensure better images.
The imaging portion of the test takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
After a calcium score test
After a calcium score test, most people can resume their normal activities.Calcium score results
After your exam, a radiologist will review your images, and you’ll receive a score based on the amount of calcium and plaque found during the test.
- A coronary calcium score of 0 means you have no calcified plaque, and your risk of having a heart attack due to plaque buildup is relatively low.
If you have CAD or plaque, you’ll receive a positive test.
- A score between 1 and 100 indicates mild atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup.
- A score of up to 400 indicates moderate atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup.
- A score of higher than 400 indicates there is strong atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup. A higher score means there’s more plaque in the coronary arteries and your chance of having a heart attack is greater.
The radiologist will share these results with your healthcare provider.
Next steps
If your coronary calcium score is high, your primary care provider will likely want to address CAD risk factors to prevent a heart attack and protect your heart for the long term. Those lifestyle changes may include:
- Better controlling diabetes through medications or diabetes management classes
- Eating a heart-healthy diet that focuses on whole grains, lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and avoids sugar, saturated fat and salt
- Increasing your physical activity levels
- Stopping smoking
- Taking medications to lower your blood pressure
- Taking statins to lower your cholesterol
- Your provider may also refer you to a cardiologist for additional testing or procedures to treat plaque buildup.
Find a location near you
You can have a coronary calcium score at many of our locations in Central and North Texas.
AccentCare - Fort Worth
3880 Hulen St , Fort Worth, TX, 76107
AccentCare Home Health of Brenham
526 W Main St , Brenham, TX, 77833
AccentCare Home Health of College Station
119 Medical Park Lane Ste C, Huntsville, TX, 77340
AccentCare Home Health of College Station
1605 Rock Prairie Rd Ste 206, College Station, TX, 77845
AccentCare Home Health Of Denton
225 W. Mulberry St. Ste A, Denton, TX, 76201
AccentCare Home Health Of Desoto
911 York Drive Ste 203, DeSoto, TX, 75115
AccentCare Home Health Of Fort Worth (Arlington)
700 Highlander Blvd Ste 205, Arlington, TX, 76015
AccentCare Home Health of Huntsville
122 Medical Park Lane B , Huntsville, TX, 77340
AccentCare Home Health of Marble Falls
1100 Mission Hills Dr Ste 100, Marble Falls, TX, 78654
AccentCare Home Health Of McKinney
6800 Weiskopf Ave Ste 100, McKinney, TX, 75070
AccentCare Home Health Of Taylor (Hutto)
567 Chris Kelley Blvd Ste 201, Hutto, TX, 78634
AccentCare Home Health Of Temple
3809 S General Bruce Dr Ste 105B, Temple, TX, 76502
AccentCare Home Health Of Waco
8300 Central Park Dr Ste A, Waco, TX, 76712
AdventHealth Central Texas
2201 S Clear Creek Rd , Killeen, TX, 76549
Andrews Women's Hospital at Baylor Scott & White - Fort Worth
1400 8th Ave , Fort Worth, TX, 76104
Baylor Scott & White - Hillcrest Infectious Disease Clinic
50 Hillcrest Medical Blvd MOB1, Ste 104, Waco, TX, 76712
Baylor Scott & White - Plano Brain and Spine Center
4708 Alliance Blvd Pavilion I, Ste 810, Plano, TX, 75093
Baylor Scott & White - Texas Brain and Spine Institute
900 Scott and White Dr , College Station, TX, 77845
- Monday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Baylor Scott & White - Texas Brain and Spine Institute - Huntsville
122 Medical Park Ln Ste A, Huntsville, TX, 77340
Baylor Scott & White - The Brenham Clinic
600 N Park St , Brenham, TX, 77833
- Monday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 7:30 am - 5:00 pm
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Cardiac Imaging Specialists
1100 Allied Dr , Plano, TX, 75093
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Cardiovascular and Imaging Consultants
4708 Alliance Blvd Ste 450, Plano, TX, 75093
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Digestive Care
3434 Swiss Ave Ste 200, Dallas, TX, 75204
- Monday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart and Lung Disease Center - Fort Worth
1420 8th Ave Ste 103, Fort Worth, TX, 76104
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Anna
450 N Standridge Blvd , Anna, TX, 75409
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Decatur
2401 S FM 51 Ste 200, Decatur, TX, 76234
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Denton
3333 Colorado Blvd , Denton, TX, 76210
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Idabel, OK
4 SE Avenue A , Idabel, OK, 74745
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Keller (Satellite)
3124 N Tarrant Pkwy Ste 204, Keller, TX, 76177
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - McKinney (Satellite)
5236 W University Dr Ste 4450, McKinney, TX, 75482
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Mt Pleasant (Satellite)
1011 N Jefferson Ave , Mt Pleasant, TX, 75455
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Paris
875 S Collegiate Dr , Paris, TX, 75462
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Plano
4716 Dexter Dr Ste 100, Plano, TX, 75093
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Sherman Sycamore (Satellite)
203 E Sycamore St , Sherman, TX, 75090
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care - Sulphur Springs
601 Airport Rd Ste 110, Sulphur Springs, TX, 75482
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Care – Sherman Highland (Satellite)
300 N Highland Ave , Sherman, TX, 75092
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Irving
2001 N MacArthur Blvd Bldg 1, Ste 360, Irving, TX, 75061
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Abilene
1219 E South 11th St Ste B2, Abilene, TX, 79602
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Amarillo
1901 Medi Park Dr Ste 2051, Amarillo, TX, 79106
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Dallas
3410 Worth St Ste 250, Dallas, TX, 75246
- Monday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Fort Worth
1400 8th Ave Ste 105, Fort Worth, TX, 76104
- Monday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Longview
906 Judson Rd , Longview, TX, 75601
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Lubbock
3711 22nd St Ste B, Lubbock, TX, 79410
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Midland/Odessa
420 E 6th St Ste 102, Odessa, TX, 79761
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Tyler
1321 S Beckham Ave , Tyler, TX, 75701
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Clinic - Waxahachie
2360 N Interstate 35E MOB 2, Ste 310, Waxahachie, TX, 75165
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Heart Failure Specialists - Fort Worth
1250 8th Ave Ste 200, Fort Worth, TX, 76104
- Monday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Baylor Scott & White Advanced Lung Disease Specialists - Dallas
3410 Worth St Ste 250, Dallas, TX, 75246
- Monday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Tuesday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Thursday: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- Friday: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center - Fort Worth
1400 8th Ave , Fort Worth, TX, 76104
Baylor Scott & White Ambulatory Endoscopy Center
4708 Alliance Blvd Pavilion I, Ste 210, Plano, TX, 75093
- Monday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Tuesday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Wednesday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Thursday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Friday: 7:00 am - 3:00 pm