What is the nature of the Coronary Scan?
It is an Electron Beam CAT (computed axial tomography) scan of the coronary arteries (the vessels which bring blood and oxygen to the heart muscle). The purpose is to detect and measure coronary calcification, which is the marker for atherosclerosis (the accumulation of plaque within your coronary arteries). The test is non-invasive – no needles, no dyes, no injections. You simply lie on a table, hold your breath and the scanner takes a series of pictures of your heart. The entire process takes only a few minutes.
