Coronary calcium may predict death risk
By Nathan Seppa
A computerized X-ray image of calcium deposits along a person’s coronary arteries can signal whether that individual carries a hidden health risk, a study in the September Radiology suggests.
Researchers enrolled 10,377 people, average age 53, who were free of heart disease but had at least one risk factor for it. These included high cholesterol, a family history of early heart problems, high blood pressure, a smoking habit, and diabetes. All participants received a computerized tomography scan of their coronary arteries.