Coronary Calcium Score (CAC)

Non-contrast CT to quantify coronary artery calcification and cardiovascular risk using the Agatston score. 67,000 HUF (≈€168) on a 128-slice GE Revolution Evo scanner. Fast, no contrast, no referral needed.

The coronary artery calcium (CAC) score at Wáberer Medical Center quantifies the total burden of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries using a dedicated non-contrast cardiac CT scan on the 128-slice GE Revolution Evo scanner. The Agatston scoring method produces a standardised numerical result: a score of zero indicates no detectable calcification and is associated with very low 10-year risk of cardiovascular events, while scores above 100 reflect significant atherosclerotic disease and elevated risk, and scores above 400 indicate extensive disease requiring intensive management. At 67,000 HUF (approximately €168), the CAC score is a cost-effective, non-invasive cardiovascular risk stratification tool that takes only 5–10 minutes in the scanner, requires no intravenous contrast, and typically no physician referral. The study uses ECG gating to synchronise image acquisition with the cardiac cycle, eliminating motion artefact from the beating heart and ensuring accurate calcium quantification per coronary artery territory — left main, left anterior descending, left circumflex, and right coronary artery. The CAC score has particular value in patients at intermediate cardiovascular risk — those where standard tools based on age, blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking history leave genuine clinical uncertainty about the benefit of preventive treatment. In this population, a zero score provides reassurance and may support deferral of statin therapy, while elevated scores provide objective evidence for intensifying preventive treatment regardless of symptom status. This application is explicitly supported in European Society of Cardiology primary prevention guidelines. The 128-slice GE Revolution Evo at WMC is one of the most capable scanners available for cardiac CT in Budapest. Its high temporal resolution — achieved by fast gantry rotation and sophisticated cardiac reconstruction algorithms — is critical for motion-free coronary images, particularly in patients with higher resting heart rates. The scanner's compatibility with pacemaker patients extends CAC scoring to a population that would otherwise require referral for alternative risk assessment techniques. Board-certified radiologists prepare the CAC score report including total Agatston score, per-vessel breakdown, and clinical risk interpretation. Results are typically available within a few working days. WMC operates from 06:30 on weekdays and from 07:00 on Saturdays. Telephone booking at +36 1 323 7000 and online via the WMC website. For patients whose CAC score indicates high coronary disease burden, coronary CT angiography is available at 185,000 HUF for direct anatomical assessment.