Cardiac CT

Cardiac CT at Radiologicum Margareten evaluates the heart and coronary arteries using a modern low-dose scanner with ECG gating. The €350 private-patient tariff covers a complete cardiac imaging session including clinical reporting by a specialist radiologist. Insurance-funded for patients with a GP or specialist referral. Typical wait time at Margareten is two business days.

Cardiac CT at Radiologicum Margareten delivers a non-invasive window into the structure and health of the heart and its surrounding vessels. The examination is performed using a low-dose computed tomography scanner with ECG-synchronised acquisition, which times image capture to the diastolic phase of the cardiac cycle — when the heart is relatively still — producing sharp, motion-free images of the coronary arteries, myocardium, and cardiac chambers. The private-patient tariff is published at €350. For patients with Austrian public health insurance (all Kassen), the examination is covered by the insurance fund when referred by a GP or specialist; SVS patients additionally require chief-physician approval in advance of the booking. This means Radiologicum functions as both an accessible self-pay option for those without a referral and a covered diagnostic service for those who have one. The primary clinical applications for cardiac CT at Radiologicum Margareten are set out on the practice website. Coronary artery disease exclusion is the most common indication: patients with chest discomfort, atypical cardiac symptoms, or intermediate pre-test probability can avoid invasive catheter angiography in many cases when cardiac CT provides a confident negative result. The investigation is also used for investigating unexplained chest pain, for pre-operative planning and post-operative bypass monitoring, and for assessing calcium burden in the context of aortic valve disease. Priv.-Doz. Dr. Markus Reiter — the cardiovascular imaging lead at Radiologicum — has emphasised in practice communications that vascular disease is frequently advanced before symptoms appear. Calf cramps on short walks, intermittent chest tightness, and other atypical presentations may reflect established atherosclerosis in the coronary, carotid, or peripheral circulation. Cardiac CT allows the extent of that disease to be mapped precisely, creating a foundation for targeted therapy planning. The reporting turnaround is fast by comparison with larger hospital radiology departments. Appointments can be booked online at any time through the practice website, results are retrieved through the online portal, and the typical CT wait at Margareten is currently around two business days. The practice accepts eKOS codes and provides an upload facility for digital referral documents, making the administrative process largely paperless. The examination itself is brief: scanner time is usually under ten minutes. No fasting is required for a standard cardiac CT without contrast, though patients being considered for CT angiography with contrast injection should follow preparation instructions provided at booking. The practice's no-show cancellation policy requires 24 hours' notice to avoid a €150 missed-appointment charge. Radiologicum Margareten is located inside the Franziskus Spital building on Nikolsdorfergasse in Vienna's 5th district, served by trams 1 and 62, bus 13A, and the Badner Bahn at nearby stops.