Coronary Artery Calcification Score and Computed Tomographic Coronary Angiography: A Review and Update

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and the world. Identifying new risk factors and improving the screening methods for CAD are continuously evolving processes. The coronary artery calcification (CAC) score, as measured by computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA) is of intense interest to clinicians and investigators because of its potential role for diagnosis, risk stratification, and prediction of future mortality and morbidity. Recent studies demonstrate the substantial significance of CAC in CAD and its usefulness as a predictive variable. CAC is a marker of atherosclerosis and gives an estimate of disease severity and extent. It has the potential to provide an objective or quantitative measure of CAD. CTCA offers a noninvasive methodology for defining coronary artery anatomy and providing further definition of CAD extent and severity. Understanding the significance, current role, recent discoveries, and applications of CAC and CTCA is of paramount importance for improved diagnosis and profiling of suspected ischemic heart disease.