Understanding Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease and the leading cause of heart attacks.¹’² It occurs when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, potentially restricting blood flow to the heart. This buildup can result in chest pain or even lead to a heart attack. Most people who suffer a heart attack don’t have prior symptoms and are considered low risk by traditional measures.³’⁴
A heart attack shouldn’t be the first sign of heart disease. CCTA + Heartflow Analysis offers a more comprehensive⁵ view of your heart’s health, allowing more informed decision making for you and your physician.⁶’⁷
MyCardiologist is advancing the assessment of your heart health with Heartflow Analysis. Using images from a non-invasive heart scan, also known as a coronary CTA, this AI-enabled heart test provides a personalized 3D model of your coronary arteries that shows how disease may be impacting blood flow to your heart, as well as identifying the amount, location, and type of plaque present. This detailed information helps you and your doctor better understand the severity of your disease and determine a personalized treatment plan.⁶’⁷
Guides Treatment Decisions
Heartflow Analysis identifies how much and what type of plaque is present in your arteries and measures any blockages that could be limiting blood flow to your heart, providing information to help guide your personalized treatment plan.⁶’⁷
Why a CCTA + Heartflow Analysis?
These are the key diagnoses that qualify for rehab. Your healthcare provider can guide you on the best time to start based on your specific situation:
Non-Invasive
Heartflow Analysis is a technology that uses images from your heart scan, so no invasive tests or anesthesia are needed.
Accurate
Heartflow Analysis has demonstrated superior accuracy in diagnosing CAD⁷’⁸ and is clinically proven to align with results from more invasive tests.⁹
Personalized
Heartflow builds a personalized, 3D model of your arteries, using images already taken during your heart scan.
Comprehensive
Heartflow Analysis can go beyond calcium scoring by identifying higher risk plaques that are most likely to cause a cardiac event.⁵
Heartflow Patient Plaque:
How it Works
How Heartflow Analysis Works
1. Scan: Your doctor will order a non-invasive Coronary CTA (CCTA) scan of your heart to look for disease.
2. Measure: Using your scan, the images undergo advanced AI processing to generate a personalized, 3D model of your arteries. Your report will measure blood flow and plaque buildup in your coronary arteries.
3. Act: Your doctor receives a personalized, color-coded 3D model of your coronary arteries and detailed insights about your heart. With all the information in hand, you and your provider can make an informed choice on the best treatment pathway for you.⁵’⁶
Advanced Plaque Analysis with Heartflow
Plaque Analysis is an advanced, non-invasive technology that uses your existing coronary CT scan (CCTA) to give a deeper look at the buildup inside your arteries—the root cause of most heart disease. Instead of just identifying blockages, Plaque Analysis helps your doctor understand:
- How much plaque is present
- Where it’s located
- What type of plaque it is
- Your overall risk of a future cardiac event
This allows for earlier detection and more personalized treatment—often before symptoms become severe. When combined with HeartFlow FFR-CT:
- You see both anatomy (plaque) and function (blood flow)
- Your doctor gets a complete picture of your heart health
- Treatment becomes more precise and proactive
Know your risk before symptoms start. Ask your provider about adding Plaque Analysis to your HeartFlow test.
How Heartflow Analysis Works
1. Scan: Your doctor will order a non-invasive Coronary CTA (CCTA) scan of your heart to look for disease.
2. Measure: Using your scan, the images undergo advanced AI processing to generate a personalized, 3D model of your arteries. Your report will measure blood flow and plaque buildup in your coronary arteries.
3. Act: Your doctor receives a personalized, color-coded 3D model of your coronary arteries and detailed insights about your heart. With all the information in hand, you and your provider can make an informed choice on the best treatment pathway for you.⁵’⁶
Advanced Plaque Analysis with Heartflow
Plaque Analysis is an advanced, non-invasive technology that uses your existing coronary CT scan (CCTA) to give a deeper look at the buildup inside your arteries—the root cause of most heart disease. Instead of just identifying blockages, Plaque Analysis helps your doctor understand:
- How much plaque is present
- Where it’s located
- What type of plaque it is
- Your overall risk of a future cardiac event
This allows for earlier detection and more personalized treatment—often before symptoms become severe. When combined with HeartFlow FFR-CT:
- You see both anatomy (plaque) and function (blood flow)
- Your doctor gets a complete picture of your heart health
- Treatment becomes more precise and proactive
Know your risk before symptoms start. Ask your provider about adding Plaque Analysis to your HeartFlow test.
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
For more information, please call us:
References:
1. Heart Disease Facts. CDC. Accessed December 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
2. Heart Attack. CDC. Accessed December 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/heart-attack.html
3. 2010 ACCF/AHA Guideline for Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in Asymptomatic Adults Circulation. November 2010.
4. Preventing myocardial infarction in the young adult in the first place: how do the national cholesterol education panel iii guidelines perform? Journal of the American College of Cardiology. May 2003.
5. Williams MC, et al. Circulation. 2020. doi: 10.1161 CIRCULATIONAHA.119.044720
6. Rinehart S, et al. JSCAI. 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.jscai.2024.10129640345182 V2
7. Douglas PS, et al. The PRECISE Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Cardiol. 2023;8(10):904–914. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2023.2595
8. Driessen, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2019; Norgaard, et al, Euro J Radiol 2015.
9. Narula J, et al. Eur Heart J. 2024. doi: 10.1093/ehjci/jeae115
TAKE THE NEXT STEP
For more information, please call us:
References:
1. Heart Disease Facts. CDC. Accessed December 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/data-research/facts-stats/index.html
2. Heart Attack. CDC. Accessed December 18, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/heart-attack.html
3. 2010 ACCF/AHA Guideline for Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in Asymptomatic Adults Circulation. November 2010.
4. Preventing myocardial infarction in the young adult in the first place: how do the national cholesterol education panel iii guidelines perform? Journal of the American College of Cardiology. May 2003.
5. Williams MC, et al. Circulation. 2020. doi: 10.1161 CIRCULATIONAHA.119.044720
6. Rinehart S, et al. JSCAI. 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.jscai.2024.10129640345182 V2
7. Douglas PS, et al. The PRECISE Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Cardiol. 2023;8(10):904–914. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2023.2595
8. Driessen, et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2019; Norgaard, et al, Euro J Radiol 2015.
9. Narula J, et al. Eur Heart J. 2024. doi: 10.1093/ehjci/jeae115