If you are searching “coronary calcium score” you are probably trying to answer a simple question:

Am I quietly building heart disease, even if I feel fine?

That is not paranoia. That is math.

Heart disease is still the #1 cause of death in the United States, with 680,981 deaths reported in 2023 by CDC mortality data. (CDC)
Coronary heart disease alone killed 371,506 people in 2022. (CDC)

So yes, you can eat clean, hit the gym, and still have plaque building. The coronary calcium score test exists for that exact problem.

This guide covers:

• What a coronary calcium score is
• What the score ranges typically mean
• Who should consider the test
• How to use it in real life decision making with your clinician
• Where to get a coronary calcium score in OKC, Dallas, and Houston

What is a coronary calcium score?

A coronary artery calcium (CAC) test is a heart scan that looks for calcium deposits in the coronary arteries, the vessels that supply blood to your heart muscle. More calcium typically suggests more plaque burden and higher likelihood of coronary artery disease. (www.heart.org)

Your result is usually reported with an Agatston score, a significant way to quantify the amount of calcified plaque seen on the scan. (UMMS)

Why calcium matters

Calcium is not the problem by itself. It is a marker that plaque has been there long enough to calcify.

That is why a coronary calcium score can be so helpful for people who feel healthy but want real clarity.

Coronary calcium score ranges and what they usually mean

Your clinician should interpret your results in context of your age, risk factors, symptoms, and labs. But in general, guidance commonly groups CAC scores like this:

CAC score = 0

• No visible calcified plaque
• Often considered a strong sign of lower near-term risk, sometimes called the “power of zero” in clinical discussions (PubMed Central)

Important nuance: “0” does not mean “invincible.” It means no calcified plaque was detected.

CAC score 1 to 99

• Small amount of calcified plaque
• In the 2018 AHA ACC cholesterol guideline, a CAC score 1 to 99 generally “favors” statin therapy decisions, especially in adults 55+. (Ahajournals)

CAC score 100 to 399

• Moderate plaque burden
• In the same guideline framework, CAC 100+ is a stronger indicator of higher risk and more aggressive prevention planning. (Ahajournals)

CAC score 400+

• Higher plaque burden and higher likelihood of significant coronary disease
• Often triggers deeper conversations about prevention intensity and follow-up testing as appropriate

If you want the honest takeaway: the score is a visibility tool. It turns “maybe someday” into “here is what is happening now.”

Who should consider a coronary calcium score test?

CAC testing is commonly used as a risk refinement tool. In plain English: it helps when the decision is not obvious.

The ACC summarizes that clinicians may assess coronary artery calcium if the risk decision is uncertain and more information is needed to clarify ASCVD risk. (American College of Cardiology)

Many people consider CAC testing if they:

• Are age 40 to 75 and want a clearer picture of heart risk
• Have family history of early heart disease
• Have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, prediabetes, or metabolic issues
• Are a former smoker or have other risk factors
• Are “borderline” or “intermediate” risk and deciding how aggressive to be

Who should not use CAC as a DIY diagnosis tool

If you have active symptoms like chest pressure, shortness of breath with exertion, fainting, or symptoms your clinician is concerned about, do not treat a screening test like an emergency room. Screening is for planning, not crisis management.

What a coronary calcium score test does, and does not, tell you

What it does well

• Detects calcified plaque burden in coronary arteries (www.heart.org)
• Helps refine risk beyond basic risk calculators in the right context (American College of Cardiology)
• Supports clearer prevention conversations because you are reacting to evidence, not vibes

What it does not do

• It does not rule out every form of heart disease
• It does not directly measure “soft plaque”
• It does not replace medical evaluation, labs, or symptom workups

Also worth knowing: the USPSTF has historically said evidence was insufficient to assess benefits and harms of adding CAC to traditional risk assessment for asymptomatic adults, which is why CAC is best framed as a shared decision between patient and clinician, not a universal blanket test for everyone. (USPSTF)

Translation: CAC can be incredibly useful, but it should be used intelligently.

Why this matters now, not “someday”

Most people think the heart attack is the first sign. It is not. It is often the first obvious symptom.

Heart disease stays quiet for years, then shows up uninvited like a party guest who ate all your food and broke your furniture.

A coronary calcium score helps you act earlier with:

• lifestyle changes that actually match your risk level
• better conversations with your clinician
• clarity about whether “I’m fine” is real or just optimistic

Coronary calcium score vs whole-body MRI

A coronary calcium score is computed from a CT-based heart scan, not an MRI style package. (www.heart.org)

That matters because:

• Many people chasing “peace of mind” do an MRI style full-body screen and assume their heart is covered. Coronary calcium scoring is not provided by an MRI. 
• A CAC score specifically targets the coronary arteries and quantifies calcified plaque

If your goal is heart risk detection, make sure your plan includes a test designed for that target.

Advanced Body Scan’s core focus is early detection, including heart scans with calcium scoring.

What to expect at Advanced Body Scan

Advanced Body Scan is built around speed, clarity, and patient comfort.

From the Advanced Body Scan creative brief, the experience is designed to be:

• fast with scan time under 5 minutes for the scan itself
• non-invasive with no needles
• simple with minimal friction and a focus on patient control and privacy

You should still plan for the full appointment flow, but the scan component is quick.

Coronary calcium score OKC, Dallas, Houston: locations we serve

If you are searching locally, here are the Advanced Body Scan locations people mean when they type:

Coronary calcium score OKC (Oklahoma City)

3209 NW. Expressway
Oklahoma City, OK 73112

OKC imaging equipment includes a Siemens Somatom go.TOP CT with 64 detector, 128 slice capability.

Coronary calcium score Dallas (Plano)

3801 W 15th St Building C Suite 160
Plano, TX 75075

Plano imaging equipment includes a GE Revolution EVO CT with 64 detector, 128 slice capability.

Coronary calcium score Houston (Bellaire)

4460 Bissonnet St
Bellaire, TX 77401

Houston Bellaire equipment includes advanced CT options, including the Canon Aquilion ONE Genesis (640 slice) alongside other CT systems listed for the site.

How to get the most value from your coronary calcium score

A CAC test is not a trophy. It is a tool. Here is how to use it well:

1) Bring your score to a real prevention conversation

Your clinician can connect it to:

• blood pressure
• cholesterol and ApoB if ordered
• A1C and metabolic health
• family history and smoking history
• your current meds and lifestyle

2) Use it to personalize your plan

A score of 0 and a score of 300 should not lead to the same “generic wellness advice.”

3) Remember the goal

The goal is not “a pretty report.” The goal is fewer surprises later.