Coronary Calcium Score

Non-contrast CT scan quantifying calcium deposits in the coronary arteries to generate an Agatston cardiovascular risk score. No injection required. Scan in under 10 minutes. Score zero = <5% five-year heart attack risk.

Coronary calcium scoring at Radiologie am Raschplatz uses the practice's 64-slice multislice CT scanner without contrast injection to measure calcium deposits in the walls of the coronary arteries. Coronary calcification is a direct surrogate marker for atherosclerotic plaque burden — the process responsible for the majority of myocardial infarctions — and the resulting Agatston score provides a standardised, quantitative estimate of cardiovascular risk that can be mapped against population norms for the patient's age and sex. The scan itself takes under ten minutes, and the full appointment including registration and results consultation typically runs to around 20–30 minutes. No contrast agent is administered, no cannula is inserted, and fasting is not required. The low-dose CT protocol applies AI-assisted post-processing to sharpen calcium boundary definition, supporting precise Agatston calculation even at reduced radiation levels. The total effective dose for this examination is substantially below that of a conventional diagnostic CT. The Agatston score provides three clinically useful data points. First, a score of zero — indicating no detectable coronary calcification — correlates with less than a 5% risk of a heart attack over the following five years and is associated with a very low likelihood of obstructive coronary artery disease. Second, higher scores (100–400 and above) indicate moderately to substantially elevated risk and are typically used to support decisions about statin therapy, aspirin prophylaxis, or further diagnostic investigation such as cardiac CT angiography. Third, the score can be repeated at intervals of three to five years to quantify disease progression and monitor treatment response. The examination is appropriate for adults aged 40–75 who have intermediate cardiovascular risk based on conventional factors (lipid levels, blood pressure, smoking, family history) and for patients in whom the clinical decision about preventive therapy is uncertain. The result is interpreted by a specialist radiologist in a written report issued on the same day.