Quantitative determination of coronary vascular calcinosis (coronary calcium score) with double-helical CT

Coronary heart disease is a common disease, with the typical characteristic of coronary sclerosis, an abnormal calcification of the heart's blood vessels. The amount of coronary calcification is in direct correlation to the extent of coronary heart disease. With the double-detector-helical-CT it is possible to detect and quantify these calcifications. The correlation of the "Calcium-Scoring" with the results of coronary-angiography, myocardial scintigraphy and clinical findings shows the value of this method of coronary heart diagnostic. False negative results, based on low calcified fatty stenotic plaques and false positive results, based on high calcificated plaques without significant stenosis should be taken into account.