Female patient entering into CT scanner.

Heart disease screening

A fast and painless coronary calcium CT scan, designed to measure calcified plaque in the arteries of your heart, can help determine if you’re at risk for heart disease. The test is available at several ProHealth Care locations in southeastern Wisconsin for only $45. No referral is needed.

What’s a heart disease screening?

A screening is a fast and painless CT scan, called a coronary calcium CT scan or CT cardiac (or heart) calcium score. It uses special X-ray equipment to look at your heart and take pictures of your coronary arteries, which supply blood to your heart. The scan can detect and measure calcium-containing plaque deposits in your arteries that can restrict blood flow (atherosclerosis) or block your arteries (coronary artery disease). Your scan results and your cardiac calcium score can help your provider determine if you have an increased risk of heart attack.

Do I need a coronary calcium CT scan?

A coronary calcium CT scan may be right for you if you are:

Thirty to 45 years old and have two or more heart disease risk factors
Older than age 45 with at least one heart disease risk factor

In some cases your primary care provider may recommend the test but no referral is needed.

Heart disease risk factors

Common heeart disease risk factors include:

Diabetes
Family history of heart disease
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Obesity
Inactive lifestyle
Smoking

What to expect

During the screening, you’ll lie on the CT scanner bed, which moves your body slowly into the scanner. Your head will remain outside the scanner. The scan takes hundreds of computerized heart images. The test is painless and only takes 10 to 15 minutes.

Your results

If you wish, you can receive preliminary results before you leave. Your final results will be uploaded to your MyChart account once a radiologist reviews them. Your primary care provider will also receive a copy of your results.

If you have questions about your coronary calcium CT scan or your cardiac calcium score, follow up with your primary care provider. Talk to your provider about whether you should consider lifestyle changes or treatment based on your results.

Accessible, low-cost heart disease screening

To determine if you are eligible for a coronary calcium CT scan, call 262-928-3000 and select 2 for imaging services. You will be asked a few screening questions and if you are eligible, you can schedule an appointment at:

Brookfield: ProHealth Imaging Center, 18905 W. Capitol Dr.
Mukwonago: ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital-Mukwonago, 240 Maple Ave.
Oconomowoc: ProHealth Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, 791 Summit Ave.
Pewaukee: ProHealth Medical Group clinic, N16W24131 Riverwood Dr.
Waukesha: ProHealth Care’s Imaging Services, 1111 Delafield St., Suite 112
Waukesha: ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital, 725 American Ave.

The self-pay cost of your screening is $45 and may be an eligible flexible spending account expense. ProHealth does not bill insurance plans for this test.