Risks of a CT heart scan

Some health care professionals, including the American College of Radiologists and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), do not recommend CT heart scans as a form of preventative health care. Rather, they encourage patients to wait until further tests on the effectiveness of coronary calcium scoring (currently in progress) have been completed.

Risks involved with every type of CT scan include:

• Radiation exposure
• Not suitable for pregnant women
• Uncomfortable for the claustrophobic
• Requires patient to lie still for long periods of time
• Patients with chronic pain may require sedatives
• Patient may have to hold his or her breath during the scan
• Allergic reaction to contrast material