Calcium heart scores, also called Agatston scores (named after the physician who came up with this idea), range from 0 to above. Higher scores indicate more significant evidence of plaque deposits inside the lining of your heart arteries.

May 16, 2024 · The scan gives you a number called an Agatston score. Your doctor may get your results the same day of the test, but it can take longer. A score of zero means the test didn’t find any calcium.

Understand the meaning of your Agatston score. The lower the score, the lower your risk of coronary heart disease. There are four categories of scores; less than 10, meaning minimal to no calcium was found, and those with scores of 11 to 99 who have a …

Mar 17, 2025 · Calcium score (Agatston) Interpretation. 0 . No detectable plaque (very low risk) 1–10 . Minimal plaque (low risk) 11–100 . Mild plaque (moderate risk) 101–400 . Moderate plaque (high risk) >400 . Extensive plaque (very high risk) Limitations of CAC scoring.

Nov 20, 2024 · Agatston score is a semi-automated tool to calculate a score based on the extent of coronary artery calcification detected by an unenhanced low-dose CT scan, which is routinely performed in patients undergoing cardiac CT.

Sep 1, 2018 · Coronary calcium on CT is most commonly quantified using the Agatston score. Calcification is defined as a hyperattenuating lesion above the threshold of 130 Hounsfield units with an area of 3 or more pixels (1 mm 2).

Aug 8, 2023 · The calcium score developed by Agatston 6 is determined by the product of the calcified plaque area and maximal calcium lesion density (from 1 to 4 based on Hounsfield units).

Important points to report when interpreting CAC scans include: the absolute Agatston score and the age, sex, and race-specific CAC percentile; general recommendations on time-to-rescan for individuals with a CAC score of 0; the number of vessels with CAC; the presence of CAC in the left main coronary artery; and specific highlighting of individ...

Coronary calcium score is an independent predictor of risk of significant coronary artery disease. It may refine overall risk of coronary artery disease estimated with conventional risk factors. It is based on CT examination and calculation of the Agatston score from the images.

The Agatston score was developed in the 1990s by Dr. Arthur Agatston as part of a study on cardiac risk factors. It quantifies the amount of calcium in the coronary arteries, offering insights into the presence of atherosclerosis—a condition characterized by the buildup of plaques in the arteries. The score is derived from a CT scan that ...