Diagnostic and prognostic value of coronary artery calcium screening.
OBJECTIVE
Algorithms and equations to calculate risk of cardiovascular events, though very useful as an in-office tool to conduct a preliminary assessment demonstrate a limited ability to predict risk in the individual patient. This has favored the development of several imaging modalities for subclinical atherosclerosis such as imaging of coronary calcium by computed tomography.


RESULTS
Arterial wall calcification is intimately associated with atherosclerosis development and is therefore an optimal marker of the presence of disease. The paradigm underlying the use of imaging technologies to identify subclinical disease is that the quantification of plaque burden may provide a better risk stratification approach for the individual patient than the currently available tools.


CONCLUSIONS
The most recent evidence supports this approach as will be discussed in the current review.
Bellasi
Antonio
A
Cardiology Section, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112-2699, USA.
Raggi
Paolo
P
D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis
D002118:Calcium