- “No one knows what to do with the calcium score”—
There are many experts worldwide involved in this field. Guidelines
and recommendations have been published by them to help
with physician decisions based upon the calcium score. We continue
to provide this information to doctors.
- “EBT heartscans measure only calcified plaque, but the
unstable plaque that may rupture is sometimes noncalcified”
That is true. However, the statistical relationship
between the calcified plaque we detect and the amount of uncalcified
plaque is known. If one has lots of calcified plaque, they have
lots of atherosclerosis and treatment should be more aggressive
to stabilize all plaque.
- “There are lots of false positives with the heartscan”
Wrong. The doctor must be thinking about blockages whereas
our goal is to detect plaque before there is major blockage.
In fact, most people with calcified plaque but without symptoms
will pass conventional stress tests…therefore, some doctors
will think this represents a “false positive”. The
heartscan is virtually 100% sensitive and specific for calcified
plaque.
- “The heartscan is experimental, unproven and new”.
The technology has been available at some university hospitals
since the mid-1980s. There are several hundred articles
in the cardiology and radiology journals demonstrating the accuracy
and utility of this procedure. Many of the world’s leading
universities and heart hospitals routinely scan individuals
with the gold standard electron beam tomography (EBT) scanner.
- “There is usually nothing you can do with the results unless
it is really severe”
Wrong. There are now medications available that can
stabilize plaque and lower your risks of ever having a heart
attack. Other people will need more attention to risk factors.
Some people will just get the reassurance of knowing that
they are at low risk.
