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Dr. James Rider (Cardiologist with Cardiology Associates of Green Bay) reports that the detection of coronary calcification is virtually 100% specific for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) with this exam. This calcification may be found in both obstructive or non-obstructive plaques (deposits in the artery). An obstructive plaque blocks blood flow to the heart and needs to be taken care of by angioplasty, stenting or heart bypass surgery. Non-obstructive lesions allow blood to pass through the artery, but are still predictive of coronary events. Approximately 50-75% of all acute heart attacks occur at the site of non-obstructive plaque and are due to plaque rupture (it breaks open) and thrombosis (forms a clot that blocks off blood flow).

 See this article from TIME Magazine: How to stop a heart attack before it happens.

 www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,20050905,00.html

Other references:

Mayo Clinic:

www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-scan/MY00327

Minneapolis Heart Institute:

www.mplsheart.com/Services/Diagnostic/HeartScan.aspx

Heart Scan of Chicago:

www.heartscanofchicago.com/cardiac-imaging-chicago/cardiac_imaging_chicago.html

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