 
Heartscoring,
or cardiac calcification scoring, is a fast, easy, non-invasive method
of assessing the calcified plaque which can build-up in the coronary arteries.
There exists a very strong correlation between this plaque and the risk
of heart attack, and although there may be exceptions; the higher the score,
the higher the risk of heart attack. Conversely, the lower the score
is, the less the risk.
To view some anatomical diagrams of the heartscore process, click here.
Key
Benefits
 |
Heartscoring
saves lives . . As attested to by the multitude of testimonies
from patients who have had the test. |
|
The
entire heartscoring process rarely takes over 15 minutes from check-in
to check-out. |
|
The
total cost of the study, including interpretation by a board-certified
cardiologist, or radiologist, is only $395. |
|
Most
insurance companies will reimburse for the test if there are two
of more cardiac risk factors: some insurers will additionally require
a memo of justification from a physician. |
|
The
discovery of significant plaque can alert the patient to the need for corrective
action before the presence of actual symptoms. |
|
The
evidence of little, or no plaque, may provide a higher level of security
to a patient who is concerned about the potential for early-onset of
heart disease. |
Capabilities
Heartscoring
is possible due to the advent of new technology, integrated with existing
state-of-the-art medical imaging technology. Our GE HiSpeed CT system
is the basis for all of this:
-
General Helical
CT Imaging
-
Our system can
image any part of the body at very fast speeds. It is conceivable
to scan an entire torso in just a few minutes if need be. Moreover,
the image quality of this unit is the best in the world. Systems
exactly like our GE
HiSpeed CT are in use at most of the prestigious medical teaching facilities
in the U.S. No other medical imaging facility can provide better
overall quality.
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Smart Score
-
This post-processing
software program is the tool which integrates the patient's EKG with the
image data, providing us with virtually motion-free images of the heart.
From these, the Advantage Windows workstation can calculate the cardiac
score, i.e., the heartscore.
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Multi-Planar
Reformat
-
Both the HiSpeed
CT and the Advantage Windows workstation have the ability to convert the
axial images into views from any other plane. This can be done in
real-time, and can be a tremendous aid in the diagnostic process.
-
Interpretation
-
During this process,
our specially-trained cardiologist, or radiologist, reviews the scoring
technique, considers the location of the specific calcifications, and consults
a published normal file for the same sex and age range of the given patient.
From this data, the physician is able to assign a "risk percentile" for
the patient.
-
Reporting
-
A copy of the
physician's report along with his recommendations for follow-up and actual
copies of the cardiac images are received by the patient no later than
5 days following the procedure.
Reference
Accounts
The following
medical facilities were involved in the actual validation of this new technology
as an alternative to the original electron beam CT (EBCT) method of heartscoring:
-
Bowman Gray
Medical Center (Wake Forest)
-
Winston-Salem,
NC
-
UCLA Medical
Center
-
Los Angeles,
CA
-
National Institutes
of Health
-
Bethesda, MD
-
Mt. Sinai
Hospital
-
Miami, FL
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