CAC Scores from Standard Chest Scans Can Predict All-Cause Mortality

Clinicians should not waste the opportunity to obtain useful prognostic information on coronary artery calcification from this commonly performed test.

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) provides useful prognostic information that is typically quantified on a dedicated 3-mm-slice computed tomography (CT) scan gated to electrocardiography (ECG). CAC scores can also be calculated from standard chest CTs, ordered for numerous clinical indications, which use wider cuts (typically, 6 mm) without ECG gating. To ascertain the prognostic usefulness of CAC scores calculated from standard chest CTs, researchers relied on data from a prospective study of mostly asymptomatic people receiving whole-body CT scans. The current study included persons with both types of scans — 157 patients who died by the 8-year follow-up and 494 age- and sex-matched controls (mean age, 68; 63% men). A standard method fo…

Reviewing Author

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Joel M. Gore, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNIH–National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

CAC Scores from Standard Chest Scans Can Predict All-Cause Mortality

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Reviewing Author