It measures the amount of calcified plaque within the walls of your coronary arteries using a low-dose, ECG gated CT scan of the heart. Calcified plaque is a marker of atherosclerosis, the underlying process that can lead to heart attacks, so the total amount detected, expressed as your Agatston score, gives a personalised estimate of your risk of a future cardiac event.

No. Unlike most services at Matrix, CT Calcium Score is a self-funded item and does not attract a Medicare rebate, even with a valid GP referral. A fee applies, payable at the time of your scan. Please call your nearest clinic for current pricing.

A referral is recommended so your GP can interpret your score in the context of your overall cardiovascular risk (cholesterol, blood pressure, family history, diabetes, smoking status) and decide on any changes to your management. Since this is a self-funded item rather than a Medicare-rebated one, please check with your clinic on current referral requirements when booking.

No. The scan is completely painless. No contrast dye or cannula is needed a small number of ECG electrodes are placed on your chest with adhesive pads to monitor your heart rhythm, and you simply lie still on the scanning table while images are captured.

CT Calcium Score uses a dedicated low-dose protocol, delivering substantially less radiation than a standard diagnostic CT scan. Our technicians use the minimum dose necessary to produce a diagnostic quality image of the coronary arteries.

A score of zero is a reassuring result and is associated with a very low short term risk of a cardiac event. However, it doesn't completely eliminate risk and it doesn't detect early, non calcified ("soft") plaque, and it doesn't remove the need to keep managing modifiable risk factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, smoking and physical activity. Your GP will advise you on ongoing prevention regardless of your result.

There's no need to repeat the scan frequently. Most guidelines suggest an interval of 3 to 5 years for people whose risk factors haven't changed significantly, and your GP will advise if or when a repeat scan would add useful information to your care.

A CT Calcium Score generally adds little useful information if you already have known coronary artery disease, a prior stent, or bypass surgery, as a high score would be expected in these situations. Speak with your cardiologist or GP about whether a different type of follow-up imaging is more appropriate for you.