What are the risks of a coronary calcium scan?
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Dr. William D. Knopf of Piedmont Heart Institute answered:Coronary calcium scanning has very few risks. The test isn't invasive, which means that no surgery is done and no instruments are inserted into your body.
Coronary calcium scanning doesn't require an injection of contrast dye to make your heart or arteries visible on x-ray images.
Because an x-ray machine is used, you'll be exposed to a small amount of radiation. Electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) uses less radiation than multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). In either case, the amount of radiation is less than or equal to the amount of radiation you're naturally exposed to in a single year.
This answer from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has been reviewed and/or edited by Dr. William D. Knopf.
Coronary calcium scanning has very few risks. The test isn't invasive, which means that no surgery is done and no instruments are inserted into your body. Coronary calcium scanning doesn't require an injection of contrast dye to make your heart or... More -
Healthwise answered:The chance of a coronary calcium scan causing a problem is small.
- There is a slight chance of developing cancer from having a coronary calcium scan. The chance is higher in people who have many radiation tests. If you are concerned about this risk, talk to your doctor about the amount of radiation this test may give you and confirm that the test is needed.
- You could get a high score from the test even if your arteries are not blocked. This could lead to extra tests that you don't need. Or it could cause you to worry when there's no reason. But these kinds of results are most likely to happen in people who are at low risk for heart disease. So if you already know that you're at low risk, you shouldn't get this test.
- Not all blocked arteries have calcium. A low test score may make you feel safe even though you're still at risk.
The chance of a coronary calcium scan causing a problem is small. There is a slight chance of developing cancer from having a coronary calcium scan. The chance is higher in people who have many radiation tests. If you are concerned about this risk,... More
