A coronary calcium scan (also called cardiac calcium scoring) is a painless imaging test that uses a special kind of X-ray to look for buildup of calcium (called coronary calcifications) in your coronary arteries. There are two machines that can perform this test: multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and electron beam computed tomography (EBCT). Both require you to lie still in a scanning machine for up to 30 minutes while they create images of your heart. You’ll also wear small pads on your chest, which will be connected to a machine that records your heart’s electrical activity.
