Aussies And Cac Scans

[MrsGruffy]

So I just rang around the usual places to ask about CAC score scans (Coronary Artery Calcium score). Two places in my state so far, with the local one charging $330 and the one at the other end of the state starts at $330 and goes up to $650 if they actually find any calcium, depending on how much calcium they find (must cost more for the white printer ink - joking/kinda). The more expensive one said they'd stop after the brief scan and ask if you wanted to go further if they found calcium - like who would say NO to that?! There is no medicare rebate for a CAC scan, even with referral from a specialist - you have to pay the whole thing yourself. You can get a referral for it from your GP - doesn't require a specialist to order this test. Just in case you're in Tasmania, the local one is Regional Imaging, Launceston, Tasmania. The one which was potentially more expensive was Berera Radiology in Hobart.

I also found out that the Menzies Centre is currently doing research into the usefulness of the CAC score, but I am unfortunately too late to be recruited into it - and they have a cut off of total cholesterol of 7.5 so I wouldn't have cut the mustard anyway. I'll be keenly watching to see what they find out.. although it's going to be years. Hoping for updates, but unlikely because it's a blind study.

I thought maybe if other Aussies who have looked into this scan or have had one could share the details and costs quoted with other Aussies, it would be beaut and bonza. Awroight.. ta cobbers.

 

[Indy51]

I was quoted about $330 or so (it was about a year ago) and decided not to go ahead on the basis that there was little I could do about the result that I wasn't already doing and also that with the other disease I have, frankly a death from CVD would be a blessing by comparison - that may sound morbid to some, but I prefer to face things as realistically as I can.

As part of a recent abdominal CT scan investigation, I asked the radiologist for comment on other issues like visible atherosclerosis, liver and pancreatic fat comparing to the same scan 6 years ago. Comment on the atherosclerosis was: "Diffuse atherosclerotic mural calcification of the abdominal aorta and iliac branches is seen, which appears relatively stable since previous imaging. No coronary vascular calcification evident with the field of view." Liver, pancreas, spleen, adrenal glands, kidneys, bladder are all normal. So seems the liver and pancreatic fat seen around diagnosis is gone and calcification is stable