Coronary Calcium Score

Non-contrast, low-dose CT scan at LUX MED Diagnostyka Warsaw that measures coronary artery calcification and calculates an Agatston cardiovascular risk score. Takes seconds of scan time and requires no contrast injection or fasting. Physician referral required under Polish law.

The coronary artery calcium (CAC) score at LUX MED Diagnostyka's Kasprzaka 17 Warsaw centre is a brief, low-radiation CT examination that quantifies the amount of calcified plaque in the walls of the coronary arteries. The result is expressed as an Agatston score — a validated cardiovascular risk metric calculated by multiplying the area of each calcified lesion by a density coefficient and summing the total across all four main coronary arteries. Calcification within coronary arterial walls is a direct indicator of underlying atherosclerosis. Because calcium only deposits within plaque that has been accumulating for years, the Agatston score reflects the total lifetime burden of coronary artery disease rather than just the current inflammatory state. Large prospective studies have consistently shown that the CAC score outperforms traditional risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and family history alone in predicting future major cardiovascular events. Among patients classified as intermediate risk by conventional risk calculators — the group where treatment decisions are most uncertain — the CAC score is particularly powerful at reclassifying risk in either direction. A score of zero indicates no detectable coronary calcification and confers a very low ten-year cardiovascular event risk regardless of other risk factors. Multiple studies, including the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), have shown that zero-score patients have a ten-year event rate below one percent and can often safely defer statin therapy following a shared decision with their physician. Scores from 1 to 99 indicate mild calcification; scores of 100 to 399 indicate moderate disease with elevated but manageable risk; scores above 400 signal extensive plaque burden requiring intensive medical management and often prompting downstream coronary angiography. The examination itself requires no contrast agent and no fasting. The patient lies on the CT table while the scanner acquires a short, cardiac-gated low-dose series — typically 100 to 200 milliseconds of exposure time per slice. The entire scan takes under a minute. No preparation beyond avoiding strenuous activity and stimulants such as caffeine for two to three hours beforehand is required to ensure a stable heart rate during acquisition. LUX MED Diagnostyka's specialist radiologists calculate the Agatston score from the acquired images and include the result, a cardiovascular risk interpretation, and a comparison to age- and sex-matched population percentiles in the written report. Results are accessible via Portal Pacjenta within the standard reporting window. As with all CT studies in Poland, a physician referral is required under the Atomic Law statute.