Take your heart health further
Cardiac CT Scan (heart CT)
Uses a CT scanner to examine your heart and assess cardiac conditions.
Why choose Vista Health for your Cardiac CT Scan?
At Vista Health, your Cardiac CT is part of a complete service designed to give you fast access, expert care and clear results.
Book a private Cardiac CT scan in Central London (Fitzrovia), Milton Keynes or Manchester (Salford) to help speed up your diagnosis. With support from our dedicated patient care team, you’ll get quick and affordable access - without waiting lists.
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Fast access
Convenient appointments without the wait lists
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Advanced insight
Choose CaRi-Heart and/or CaRi-Plaque for additional analysis of your Cardiac CT
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Dedicated support
Our dedicated Patient Care Team is available from 8am to 8pm weekdays, and 8am to 1pm weekends
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Speedy results
Receive your results within 3 working days
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Expert Cardiologists
Your scan is performed by experienced radiographers and specialist nurses, with your images reviewed by an expert Cardiologist
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State-of-the-art technology
We use advanced CT scanning technology so you can feel confident in the clarity and accuracy of your scan results
Understand your heart health today and your cardiovascular risk for the future
Heart disease can develop without obvious symptoms. Plaque can build up inside the blood vessels that supply your heart, while inflammation around them can also play an important role in cardiovascular disease.
A Cardiac CT coronary angiogram (CCTA) gives you a detailed picture of your coronary arteries. With advanced AI-powered analysis from Caristo Diagnostics, that same scan can tell you more.
CaRi-Plaque® provides deeper insight into the plaque in your arteries, including the types associated with heart attacks. CaRi-Heart® looks for signs of coronary inflammation and provides an individualised assessment of your risk of a fatal cardiac event over the next 8 years.
One scan can give you a deeper understanding of your heart health today and your cardiovascular risk for the future.
What Is A Cardiac CT Scan?
A Cardiac CT scan is a non-invasive imaging test that uses X-rays to create detailed images of your heart and its blood vessels.
It allows your clinician to assess the structure of your heart and coronary arteries, including plaque and calcium build-up that can be associated with coronary artery disease.
What can CaRi-Heart® and CaRi-Plaque® add to your cardiac CT?
Your cardiac CT shows you what’s happening in your coronary arteries. But there can be more to your heart health than what you can see on the scan.
Around 2 in 3 heart attacks happen in people without significant blockage in their arteries.
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CaRi-Plaque: see what’s happening inside your arteries
Not all plaque is the same. CaRi-Plaque takes a closer look at the amount and type of plaque present, giving you a clearer picture of your coronary health.
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CaRi-Heart: understand your future risk
Inflammation can play an important role in heart disease and heart attacks. CaRi-Heart adds a personalised layer to your results, helping you understand more about your individual cardiovascular risk.
Both analyses use the images from your existing cardiac CT, so no additional scan is required.
How much will a private Cardiac CT scan with Vista Health cost?
| Label and description | Value |
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CT coronary angiogram (one part)
Only
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£1,095
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CT coronary artery calcium scoring
Only
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£445
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Combined
CT coronary angiogram and CT coronary artery calcium scoring
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£1,540
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CT Cardiac angiogram + CaRi-Heart
CCTA with additional analysis of coronary inflammation, including FAI Score, providing personalised insight into future cardiovascular risk
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£1,495
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CT Cardiac angiogram + CaRi-Plaque
CCTA with additional analysis of plaque volume, composition and stenosis severity
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£1,595
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CT Cardiac angiogram + CaRi-Heart & CaRi-Plaque
CCTA with FAI Score and detailed plaque analysis, combining insight into coronary inflammation, plaque and cardiovascular risk
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£1,745
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Results
Report and Digital Images
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FREE
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Step by step
Your Cardiac CT Scan: A Step By Step Guide
Here’s what to expect when you book a private CT scan with Vista Health
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Book your Cardiac CT scan
You’ll need a referral from a GP, consultant, doctor or other registered healthcare professional. If you don’t have a referral, we can arrange an appointment with one of our private GPs for an additional fee.
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Get scanned
Before your scan, you’ll change into a gown and receive a contrast agent to help produce clear images of your heart and coronary arteries. You’ll lie on the CT table with your arms above your head while the scanner captures the images. The scan itself takes around 5 minutes.
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Get your results
Your images will be reviewed by an expert cardiologist, with your report and digital images provided within 3 working days. Where CaRi-Plaque and CaRi-Heart analysis is included, the additional insights will be provided as part of your results and shared with your referring GP.
How can we help?
Support
If you’re about to begin a healthcare journey, you’re likely to have a few questions. We’ve tried to answer the most common queries here - but if you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can always ask one of our friendly patient care advisors.
How can I prepare for my Cardiac CT Scan?
Before your scan, a Vista Health doctor will advise you on whether you need to temporarily stop taking any medications you are on.
You should not take any medication before your scan that could increase your heart rate, such as sildenafil. You may be prescribed certain medication (i.e. beta-blockers) to take before your scan to help slow down your heart rate - please take this medication as instructed by your doctor.
If you are a smoker or are trying to quit smoking, avoid smoking or using a nicotine patch for at least 24 hours before your scan.
Make sure you stop drinking any caffeinated beverages (e.g. tea, coffee and energy drinks) at least 12 hours before your scan. You can, however, continue to drink non-caffeinated beverages and water during this time.
On the day, stop eating at least four hours before your scan. Before you go in for your scan, you will be asked to remove anything containing metal that is worn around your chest area (e.g. necklaces, nipple piercings, etc). Any hair that may interfere with good ECG contact with the skin and, therefore, a good electrical transmission is removed by shaving.
Your specialist care team will explain everything that will happen before, during and after your scan, and you will have time to ask any questions.
Is a Cardiac CT scan the same as a coronary angiography?
A Cardiac CT scan is also known as a CT coronary angiography; however, it is less invasive than a traditional coronary angiography.
A traditional coronary angiography involves inserting a flexible tube (catheter) into an artery in your groin or arm and carefully passing it up into your heart. A CT coronary angiography only involves injecting a special dye called a contrast agent into a vein in your arm.
Both a traditional and CT coronary angiography then use X-rays to create images of your heart to construct a 3D picture of it.
What will happen after my Cardiac CT scan?
After your Cardiac CT scan, you can eat and drink as normal. Make sure you stay well-hydrated to help the contrast agent pass out of your system via your urine.
If you were prescribed medication to take before your scan (i.e. beta-blockers) - either on the day or before the day of your scan - you will be asked to remain in the clinic for 30 minutes to make sure you don’t develop any side effects from the medication, such as dizziness or lightheadedness. If you develop side effects, you will need someone to take you home; if you do not, you can drive home yourself.
Are there any risks of having a Cardiac CT scan?
A Cardiac CT scan is generally considered a safe procedure; however, every procedure comes with certain risks. For a Cardiac CT scan, you may have an allergic reaction to the contrast agent. If you know you are allergic to contrast agent or have a history of similar allergic reactions, you may be given steroids before the contrast agent is injected to prevent an allergic reaction.
If you have kidney disease, there is a risk that the contrast agent will further damage your kidneys. Your doctor may, therefore, recommend that you have a different test to investigate your heart health.
Do I need a separate scan for CaRi-Heart or CaRi-Plaque?
No, the CaRi analyses use the images from your cardiac CT, so no additional scan is required.
What does CaRi-Heart show?
CaRi-Heart analyses your cardiac CT images for signs of coronary inflammation and provides a personalised cardiovascular risk estimate.
What does CaRi-Plaque show?
CaRi-Plaque analyses coronary plaque in greater detail, including plaque volume, type and stenosis severity.
Can I have both CaRi-Heart and CaRi-Plaque?
Yes, you can choose the combined option, which includes both coronary inflammation and plaque analysis alongside your CCTA.
How quickly will I receive my results?
We aim to provide your report and digital images within 3 working days of your scan.
Do I need a referral for a cardiac CT?
Yes, you’ll need a referral from a GP, consultant, doctor or other registered healthcare professional. If you don't have one, Vista Health can arrange an appointment with one of our private GPs for an additional fee.
Who are Caristo?
Caristo Diagnostics develops AI-enabled cardiac imaging technology built on more than 20 years of scientific research. Its technology analyses existing CCTA images to provide clinicians with additional information about coronary inflammation, plaque and cardiovascular risk. Learn more at Caristo.com.