CT Angiogram (CTA) for Heart Disease
A coronary CT angiogram creates detailed images of the heart’s arteries without threading a catheter into your body. The scan uses intravenous contrast dye and advanced CT technology to visualize plaque, measure blockages, and characterize atherosclerosis that may not cause symptoms yet. For patients with chest pain or elevated cardiovascular risk, CTA offers information that simpler tests cannot provide.
CTA matters because coronary artery disease often progresses silently. Traditional risk calculators miss many patients who harbor significant plaque. Stress tests detect flow limitations but miss non-obstructive disease that still carries prognostic weight. A CT angiogram shows the actual anatomy: the location, extent, and composition of plaque throughout the coronary tree. This information changes treatment decisions and helps patients understand their true cardiovascular risk.
Yet accessing CTA requires navigating a complex healthcare landscape. Guidelines have evolved rapidly, but practice patterns vary. Insurance coverage depends on indication and clinical context. Some cardiologists embrace CTA as a first-line diagnostic tool while others reserve it for specific scenarios. The articles below provide everything you need to understand this technology, evaluate whether it might benefit you, and work within the system to access it appropriately.