A patient is only subjected to a small amount of radiation, approximately equivalent to the radiation received during one abdominal x-ray. As such, the scan is safe for everyone, although pregnant women are advised against doing so to avoid any radiation.
The CTA involves injection of a non-ionic dye and carries a small risk of allergic reactions, e.g rashes.
The prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis increases with age.
A coronary artery scan (CAS) can both detect and measure the extent of coronary calcification, and can identify those people at greatest risk of a heart attack. However, it should be noted that there are many people between 50 and 70 who have no coronary calcium whatsoever, which means that they have a very low risk of having obstructive Coronary Artery Disease or heart attacks.
FAQ