Patent Document ID: 8970578
Application ID: 12643962
Patent Status: 1

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; processing said stored volumetric data to identify a calcific lesion within said stored volumetric data, wherein the calcific lesion is identified by processing the volumetric data in a three-dimensional (3D) form instead of a two-dimensional (2D) form; measuring geometric and morphologic characteristics of said calcific lesion based at least in part on said stored volumetric data; measuring a distance between said calcific lesion and the origin of the coronary artery said calcific lesion is occluding based at least in part on said stored volumetric data; and estimating a risk profile based on said geometric and morphologic characteristics and said distance, wherein a risk of the risk profile is increased as the distance between the calcific lesion and the origin of the coronary artery said calcific lesion is occluding is decreased.