Study finds routine chest CT scans can help predict heart disease risk

woman in Radiology deparmtnet checks patient
By UCLA CTSI
1 min read

A multi-site research team that includes senior author Matthew Budoff, MD of The Lundquist Institute (TLI), found that routine chest CT scans may help identify people at greater risk for heart disease. The study, published in Circulation, looked at scans from more than 2,400 people and focused on calcium buildup in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. People with more calcium buildup were more likely to experience heart-related health problems in the future.

The researchers also found that routine chest CT scans were just as useful for assessing this calcium buildup as specialized heart scans. Because millions of chest CT scans are already performed for other medical reasons, the findings suggest doctors could use information already available on these scans to spot heart disease risk earlier and help patients take preventive steps.

This research was supported in part by the UCLA CTSI through its Clinical and Translational Research Center (CTRC) at TLI and a CTSI Core Voucher awarded to Dr. Budoff.

Photo source: UCLA Health Radiology
Photo caption: A patient prepares for a scan