Beating the odds
The number one cause of death in both women and men is heart disease. Each year, it takes more lives than all forms of cancer combined. Early detection along with a more accurate assessment of true cardiac risk significantly increases the odds of preventing the progression of heart disease and minimize heart attack risk.

It may be silent, but it can be seen
Heart disease is a silent killer. Studies have shown that 57% of men and 64% of women that die suddenly from a heart attack had no previous symptoms. By performing a test that can actually see coronary artery disease, the proper preventive steps can be taken regardless of how you look or feel.

Why calcium?
The term Calcium in Coronary Calcium Score is derived from the physiological process that causes coronary artery disease. As cholesterol deposits build up in the wall of a coronary artery, an inflammatory response causes the body to react by attempting to encapsulate the affected area in a hard calcified shell commonly known as plaques. The Coronary Calcium Score heart scan “sees” the calcium that makes up these plaques.

This has no relation to the calcium levels in your blood supply nor is it affected by calcium supplements you may take as a part of your routine diet.

A new era in prevention
The Coronary Calcium Score is the most accurate and most reliable non-invasive screening test for determining heart attack risk. It is a safe, convenient and completed in a matter of minutes without the need of any kind of preparation, injections or recovery time.

State-of-the-art simplicity
Through the advancement of non-invasive medical imaging technology, this test has simplified the detection of a disease that has eluded healthcare practitioners for decades. No preparation. No needles. No recovery time. An average scan time of less than thirty seconds. And virtually instant results that do not require a medical degree to decipher.

True risk
The Coronary Calcium Score is the only non-invasive test that can predict risk independent of any other traditional risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure and family history. The “score” is a direct measurement of the amount of calcified plaque seen in the arteries. Since the accumulation of calcified plaque is the process that causes coronary artery disease, the amount present is directly related to risk. Zero plaque means little to no risk. As the amount of plaque increases, so does the score and the risk.

With over 300,000 patient years of observational data supporting its predictive abilities, the calcium score is the most valuable non-invasive cardiac risk assessment tool in modern medicine.

Seeing is believing

Coronary Calcium Score
The key to the Coronary Calcium Score’s unprecedented accuracy is its unique ability to “see” coronary artery disease (heart disease). The Electron Beam CT scanner captures multiple images of the heart with ultrafast speed. The images reveal cross sectional views of the coronary arteries, where any calcified plaque building up in the artery can be seen and measured.

Moving forward
Your Calcium Score results can be used in several ways:
1. Establish a baseline score for future comparisons
2. Move you from one risk category to another
3. Modify your physician’s treatment goals
4. Monitor the benefit prescription medications may be having on halting the progression of plaque deposits
5. Visual proof of cardiac wellness has been proven to inspire the right lifestyle choices
6. Peace of mind that comes with knowing where you really stand

The technology makes it all possible
Non-invasive screening of the coronary arteries is a very challenging task. Given the heart is always in motion, an imaging device with the specific ability of acquiring perfectly still images of the heart is needed. Any affects of motion will distort the images and prevent the accurate visualization of the coronary arteries. It is for this reason that the Electron Beam CT scanner was created over two decades ago. It boasts the fastest imaging speeds in the CT industry, and has the highest degree of accuracy for Calcium Scoring. It’s high speed also minimizes radiation exposure making it the safest as well as the most reliable CT scanner for the job.

A better option is closer than you think.
InnerVision Wellness Imaging is located just off of I-5 in South Carlsbad, with easy access and plenty of parking.