Photo by Leslee BassmanEven though the computed tomography cardiac calcium scoring screening has been around for about 10 years, this low-cost heart disease assessment has become more popular with younger, healthy, well-educated individuals, said Dr. Jonathan I. Sheinberg, a cardiologist with Cardiovascular Associates.
CT cardiac calcium scanners are capable of detecting heart disease in individuals who have yet to feel symptoms, Sheinberg said. The non-invasive procedure, performed at area hospitals including Lakeway Regional and Westlake medical centers, involves a low dose of radiation and takes less than 10 minutes to perform. It ranges in price from $115 to $200, with costs generally not covered by insurance.
"Statistics tell us that a large chunk of people don't get a warning sign of a heart attack or death," Sheinberg said. "Heart disease is a blockage inside the wall of a blood vessel. Even though the wall dilates to accommodate blood flow, a person's artery may reach a point where it can no longer dilate and flow is obstructed," he said.
Sheinberg said that the screening has been around for a long time, but the understanding of its results has changed.
