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Calcium Scoring Program for Medical Professionals

Cardiac CT for Coronary Artery Calcium Scoring at No Cost

Noninvasive atherosclerosis imaging provides more accurate and earlier detection of coronary heart disease than traditional risk scoring algorithms or empiric clinical judgment.


Make a Referral

To order a CACS test, call 216-844-1700.
To refer a patient for UH Preventive Cardiology, call 216-844-5965 or email CVPrevention@UHhospitals.org.

University Hospitals is the only program offering the cardiac CT for coronary artery calcium scoring at no cost. The procedure is performed without intravenous lines or contrast agents. The appointment takes about 20 to 30 minutes total, with the actual scan about five to 10 minutes of that time.

Who should be referred for this test?

All men and women age 45 and older with one or more of the following risk enhancing factors:

Risk Enhancing Factors

Patient Management Recommendations

For patients with borderline to intermediate risk and CACS > 0

  • Consider moderate-high intensity statin with LDL goal <100 mg/dl
  • Risk factor modification (BP control, DM treatment, smoking cessation, exercise prescription per guidelines)
  • Consider ASA 81 mg daily if no contraindication and high risk (CAC>400) and very low bleeding risk
  • Do not recommend routine stress testing based on CAC score

For patients with CACS = 0

Consider repeating cardiac CT for CACS at 5 years if the decision to treat the patient and/or their willingness to take statins or other risk modifier medications remains unclear AND they remain at borderline elevated or intermediate risk.

Additionally, consider a referral for consultation with a UH preventive cardiologist for any patient with:

  • Cardiac signs or symptoms regardless of CACS
  • Type 2 diabetic with heart or vascular disease, chronic kidney disease or heart failure
  • Initiation of injectable (PCSK9, GLP-1 therapies)
  • Reluctance to initiating treatments including statins, GLP-1, SGLT-2i
  • Statin associated myalgia (SAM)
  • Reassessment of cardiovascular risk in patients with zero CACS

Consider a referral for consultation with a UH preventive cardiologist for any patient with:

  • Cardiac signs or symptoms regardless of CACS
  • Reluctance to initiating treatments including statins, GLP-1, SGLT-2i
  • Statin associated myalgia (SAM)
  • Zero CACS for reassessment of cardiovascular risk

UH Preventive Cardiology Scheduling: 216-844-5965

Consider a referral for consultation with the Center for Integrated and Novel Approaches in Vascular Metabolic Disease (CINEMA) for any patient with:

  • Type 2 diabetes and heart, vascular or chronic kidney disease
  • Initiation of injectable (PCSK9, GLP-1 therapies)

UH CINEMA Scheduling: 216-844-1357