Is the heart CT (calcium scoring) harmful? Does it involve radiation?

The heart CT does involve a very small dose of ionizing radiation, but the level is extremely low, typically around 0.5–1 mSv. That's comparable to about 1–2 days of natural background radiation or a return flight from Zurich to New York.

For context: the annual natural background radiation in Switzerland is approximately 5.5 mSv. A standard diagnostic chest CT delivers 5–7 mSv, roughly 5–10 times more than our calcium scoring scan.

No contrast dye is used for the heart CT. The scan takes about 15 minutes and is painless.

The calcium score (Agatston score) is one of the most well-validated predictors of cardiovascular risk and is recommended by major cardiology guidelines for intermediate-risk patients. For most people, the small radiation exposure is far outweighed by the benefit of knowing their coronary artery calcification status.

If you have concerns about radiation or are pregnant, please let us know before booking. Learn more about how heart CT calcium scoring works.