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Physician Misconceptions
- “No one knows what to
do with the calcium score”—
There are many
experts worldwide involved in this
field. Guidelines and
recommendations have been published
by them to help with physician
decisions based upon the calcium
score. We continue to provide this
information to doctors.
- “EBT heartscans
measure only calcified plaque, but the
unstable plaque that may rupture is
sometimes noncalcified”
That is true.
However, the statistical
relationship between the calcified
plaque we detect and the amount of
uncalcified plaque is known. If one
has lots of calcified plaque, they
have lots of atherosclerosis and
treatment should be more aggressive
to stabilize all plaque.
- “There are lots of
false positives with the heartscan”
Wrong.
The doctor must be thinking about
blockages whereas our goal is to
detect plaque before there is major
blockage. In fact, most people with
calcified plaque but without
symptoms will pass conventional
stress tests…therefore, some doctors
will think this represents a “false
positive”. The heartscan is
virtually 100% sensitive and
specific for calcified plaque.
- “The heartscan is
experimental, unproven and new”.
The technology has
been available at some university
hospitals since the mid-1980s.
There are several hundred articles
in the cardiology and radiology
journals demonstrating the accuracy
and utility of this procedure. Many
of the world’s leading universities
and heart hospitals routinely scan
individuals with the gold standard
electron beam tomography (EBT)
scanner.
- “There is usually
nothing you can do with the results
unless it is really severe”
Wrong.
There are now medications available
that can stabilize plaque and lower
your risks of ever having a heart
attack. Other people will need more
attention to risk factors. Some
people will just get the reassurance
of knowing that they are at low
risk.
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