Patent Document ID: 20100156898
Application ID: 12643962
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for predicting the risk of a coronary event for a human comprising: generating a non-contrast-enhanced volumetric image of the cardiac region of the human utilizing a computed tomography coronary artery calcium scan generated by a computed tomography scanner; storing said volumetric image in a storage device as stored volumetric data, where said storage device is operably connected to a processor adapted to load and process said stored volumetric data; transforming said stored volumetric data to a binary calcium volume data by applying an intensity threshold to said stored volumetric data using said processor; identifying a calcific lesion within said binary calcium volume; measuring geometric and morphologic characteristics of said calcific lesion; measuring a distance between said calcific lesion and the origin of the coronary artery said calcific lesion is occluding; and, estimating a risk profile based on said geometric and morphologic characteristics and said distance.