Also, the scanner software allows quantification of calcium area and density. A study for coronary calcium is completed within 10 to 15 minutes, requiring only a few seconds of scanning time. More recently, EBCT has been used to identify the likelihood of CHD in patients who present with nondiagnostic chest pain. There have been considerable data published in various medical journals supporting the usefulness of EBCT for detecting the presence and density of calcium in atherosclerotic coronary arteries. A negative test is highly unlikely in the presence of significant luminal obstructive disease.
Negative tests occur in the majority of patients who have angiographically normal coronary arteries.
A negative test may be consistent with a low risk of a cardiovascular event in the next 2 to 5 years. A positive EBCT confirms the presence of a coronary atherosclerotic plaque. A high calcium score may be consistent with moderate to high risk of a cardiovascular event within the next 2 to 5 years.