Volume 69 Number 3 May 2002	back to contents

Imaging of Coronary Artery Calcification	132–139
William L. Simpson, Jr., M.D., and David S. Mendelson, M.D.

Department of Radiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY.

Address correspondence to William L. Simpson, Jr., M.D., Department of Radiology, Box 1234, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One East 100th Street, New York, NY 10029.

Adapted from a Grand Rounds presentation to the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, on October 16, 2000 and updated as of October 2001.

ABSTRACT

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among Americans. The traditional methods of evaluating coronary artery disease rely on the evaluation of the patient’s symptoms and the presence of advanced disease. Until recently there was no method of early screening for coronary atherosclerosis in an asymptomatic population. However, calcification is a recognized marker for disease and is sometimes a component of the atheromatous plaque. With the advent of electron-beam computed tomography and subsecond helical computed tomography, a method of screening for and quantitating the amount of coronary calcification has been developed. The coronary calcium score is based on both the area and density of the calcification. This methodology can identify patients at risk for coronary artery disease, so that risk factor modification and preventive therapy can be initiated early in the course of the disease.

KEYWORDS

Coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, electron-beam computed tomography, computed tomography, coronary artery calcification.

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