Heatview Scan Results....good? bad?

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 27, 2005

I just received my results by mail. The hospital has offered this scan to each employee for $25. I don't have any s/s. I feel good about the scan results except for one thing and hope somebody can explain in to me. The report showed my lungs, heart, mediastum etc all normal. My calcium level = 12 which 0-100 is mild, little to no risk. But the last statement was that the age of my heart is 60-65 yrs old. Hum? How's that? I'm 50 y/o.
Are they basing this on anything other than the calcium level? If so they didn't mention any other abnormality. The calcium seen is in the LAD if that makes any diffference. The test results were also sent to my PCP and the cardiologists suggestion was to repeat the scan in 2 years.
What do you think?

Hi, DutchgirlRN,:balloons:

I'll have to say someone with a little more experience with this type of dx/screening exam will need to answer your question. I cannot interpret the findings of the 60-65 year old heart in a 50 y/o from this. Have you asked your PCP?

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Oct 27, 2005

Thanks Siri. I haven't asked anyone but allnurses yet because it just came in the mail a couple of hours ago. Tomorrow I'll be working and I'll ask one of the cardiologists, perhaps the one who read it will round tomorrow. I'll let you know. Thanks again for the reply.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Oct 29, 2005

I talked to the cardiologist that read the test. He said a calcium level of 12 is basically nothing, nothing at all. He said that he doesn't understand how the machine ages the heart. He said you certainly don't have a 65 year old heart. He said calcium 0-10 would be like 30-50 year old heart and 10-to whatever a 65 year old heart. He's said that's a bunch of nothing. He said a calcium level of 8 or 10 or 12 is a minisual difference and none of them of any importance. He said if you repeat the scan in a few years and the calcium level is much higher then you need to be treated for progressive heart disease. He said if the calcium level at that time is still under 100 then there's absolutely nothing to worry about.:)

Next week they are bringing in cardiologists from all over the country to learn how to do and interpret the Heartview Scan. Now I wait for my husbands scan results. He is diabetic, sedentary and very uncompliant.

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 29, 2005

I talked to the cardiologist that read the test. He said a calcium level of 12 is basically nothing, nothing at all. He said that he doesn't understand how the machine ages the heart. He said you certainly don't have a 65 year old heart. He said calcium 0-10 would be like 30-50 year old heart and 10-to whatever a 65 year old heart. He's said that's a bunch of nothing. He said a calcium level of 8 or 10 or 12 is a minisual difference and none of them of any importance. He said if you repeat the scan in a few years and the calcium level is much higher then you need to be treated for progressive heart disease. He said if the calcium level at that time is still under 100 then there's absolutely nothing to worry about.:)
Next week they are bringing in cardiologists from all over the country to learn how to do and interpret the Heartview Scan. Now I wait for my husbands scan results. He is diabetic, sedentary and very uncompliant.

Hi, dutch,:balloons:

I was fairly sure the "60-something-year-old" heart was going to be a non issue, but, since I have no real experience with these other than a little research, I could not make that assumption.

Glad it turned out o.k. Hope all is o.k. with your dh, too.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Oct 30, 2005

Thanks and I love your Avatar. I have tried using an animated Avatar and it tells me animated is not allowed. How did you do it?

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 30, 2005

Thanks and I love your Avatar. I have tried using an animated Avatar and it tells me animated is not allowed. How did you do it?

Hi, DutchgirlRN,:balloons:

You need to report this in the "Bugs/Problems" section here. There are others having this same problem. Let Brian know so he can 'fix' this.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f229/

qanik · Nov 4, 2005

I would add a few things. A calcium score of 12 is NOTHING. But just as important is there is no correlation between Ca+ score and coronary disease. As some have mentioned you can have a score of 0 and have an MI tommorow. Ca+ again as someone mentioned is only one component of the plaque. Having been a patient of one of the pioneers of the CA+ scan I have had much experience with the scan and his interpretation. I was 35 years old with a score of 98. Higher then most of the population in that age group. I have had more invasive test which showed NO blockages ZERO. Strange thing is when I was healthy and 35 I had the same score and was running marathons. Now I am 42 with myasthenia and BIG doses of steroids and no excercise and my score is 90- go figure. As my Doc stated "it is more of a screening tool for POTENTIAL risk of cardiac disease. If he gets a patient who just won't listen and shows a score of 800 then he feels like he has something to show them and they may listen. Anyway have a good day

Qanik