For this heart imaging test, we administer a special dye to make your blood vessels visible, and use special X-ray equipment to produce pictures of your coronary arteries, aorta, pulmonary veins, and pulmonary arteries, to see if they are blocked or narrowed by calcified plaque, an indicator of coronary artery disease.
Over time, coronary artery disease puts you at increased risk for heart attack. Scans can detect calcium deposits in plaque; the result is known as your cardiac calcium score. The amount of calcium indicates the extent of coronary artery disease.