Coronary CT Angiography

Contrast-enhanced CT visualisation of the coronary arteries to detect stenosis and atherosclerosis non-invasively. 177,000 HUF (≈€443). The definitive cardiac CT investigation.

Coronary CT angiography (CCTA) at Buda Health Center provides non-invasive visualisation of the coronary arteries using contrast-enhanced multi-slice CT. At 177,000 HUF (approximately €443), the examination images the left main, left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary arteries in high resolution, enabling detection of stenosis (narrowing), soft plaque, calcified plaque, and coronary anomalies without catheterisation or the risks of an invasive procedure. The study requires ECG gating to synchronise image acquisition with the cardiac cycle and eliminate the motion artefact that would otherwise blur the coronary vessels. Intravenous contrast is injected at a carefully timed rate to opacify the coronary lumen during acquisition. When resting heart rate is elevated, beta-blocker preparation may be recommended to slow the heart rate and optimise image quality. Total examination time is approximately 30–45 minutes including preparation, waiting for contrast uptake, and imaging. CCTA has a very high negative predictive value — a normal coronary CT angiogram effectively rules out significant coronary artery disease in patients with chest pain, atypical cardiac symptoms, or intermediate pre-test probability. European Society of Cardiology guidelines recommend CCTA as a first-line investigation for stable chest pain in patients with low-to-moderate pre-test probability of coronary artery disease. It avoids the procedural risks, additional radiation dose, and cost of invasive catheter angiography for the majority of patients in whom disease is absent, mild, or anatomically suitable for medical management. At Buda Health Center, the CCTA service is supported by specialist radiologists with cardiovascular imaging expertise. Reports include systematic per-segment stenosis grading across each coronary artery territory, plaque characterisation (calcified, non-calcified, mixed), and an overall clinical summary. Results are typically available within a few working days in written form. The examination is available without a physician referral for self-pay patients. Buda Health Center also offers a separate coronary calcium score (64,000 HUF) as a complementary, faster, and lower-cost entry-level cardiac CT that many patients combine with or use as a precursor to the full CT angiography.