Finding the right tests…
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Finding the right tests…
CT Scan
CT cardiac is a scan of your heart's structure, using X-rays and a computer to build detailed, three-dimensional pictures. Unlike a scan that only checks for calcium in your artery walls, this one looks at the heart chambers, valves, muscle, and the sac around the heart, and can show how well your heart is pumping. Your doctor may order it to check for congenital heart problems, a mass near the heart, fluid or thickening around the heart, or to look at heart structure before a planned procedure. It can be done with or without an injected contrast dye, depending on what your doctor needs to see.
This scan checks the size and shape of your heart chambers, how well the heart muscle contracts, valve structure, and the tissue around the heart. It also gives your doctor a clear picture of the heart's major vessels. Your report describes these findings so your doctor can decide on further tests or treatment.
A CT cardiac scan builds a three-dimensional picture of your heart from many X-ray images taken from different angles. It is different from a scan that only counts calcium in the coronary arteries, and different from the CT scan done specifically to plan a valve replacement procedure. This one looks at the whole heart.
- The size and pumping function of the heart chambers - The structure of the heart valves - The heart muscle itself, including areas of scarring or thickening - The pericardium, the thin sac around the heart - Nearby major blood vessels
Your doctor might request this scan if you have symptoms that suggest a structural heart problem, a heart murmur that needs a closer look, a suspected mass near the heart, or if you were born with a heart condition that needs monitoring. It is also used to plan some heart surgeries.
Some cardiac CT scans use an iodine-based contrast dye injected into a vein to sharpen the images of the heart and vessels. Tell your doctor if you have a kidney condition or a past reaction to contrast dye. As with any CT scan, it involves a small dose of radiation, so tell the centre if you are or might be pregnant.
A calcium score CT only measures calcium in the coronary artery walls and needs no contrast dye. This scan looks broadly at the heart's chambers, valves, muscle, and surrounding tissue, and may use contrast.
The TAVI planning scan is a narrowly focused, pre-procedure scan done once a valve replacement has already been planned. This scan is a broader look at heart structure and function, usually done to investigate symptoms or a suspected condition.
It depends on what your doctor needs to see. Some cardiac CT scans use an injected contrast dye and some do not.
Both look at heart structure, but CT can show some details, such as calcification or certain vessel relationships, more clearly. Your doctor chooses the test that best answers your specific question.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
If contrast dye is used, tell your doctor about any kidney problems beforehand, since the dye is processed by the kidneys.
Yes, as with any CT scan. Tell the centre if you are or might be pregnant, since CT scanning is generally avoided during pregnancy unless necessary.
Yes, this is one of the reasons a doctor may order this broader cardiac CT rather than a scan focused only on coronary arteries or valve measurements.
You'll need to stay still and may be asked to hold your breath briefly at points during the scan, since heart motion can blur the images.