The use of coronary artery calcium scanning in detection and risk stratification of coronary artery disease

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan can be obtained using chest computed tomography, with no use of contrast agents, and with a relatively low radiation exposure. The mere absence of calcium is associated with a good prognosis in asymptomatic subjects and in patients at low to medium risk of coronary artery disease. CAC can be quantified in different ways, with higher scores being associated with a higher cardiovascular risk. CAC carries both diagnostic and prognostic information over and above that determined by classical risk factors. This paper presents the overview of the current use of CAC scanning, its advantages and limitations, as well as potential future applications.