Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) Scan

A CT scan of your heart that measures calcium in your coronary arteries. Calcium marks hardened plaque, so the score shows how much plaque has built up. It is also called a coronary calcium scan, CAC scan or heart scan.

0 is the best result. It means no calcified plaque was found and your risk of a heart attack over the next 10 years is very low. Scores of 1 to 99 are mild, 100 to 399 moderate, and 400 or more extensive.

The only truly normal score is 0 at any age, but calcium does become more common as you get older. In the large US MESA study, the median score was 0 for women aged 45 to 64 and for men aged 45 to 54, while most men aged 65 to 74 had some calcium. Your report gives your percentile for your age and sex. A score above the 75th percentile is often discussed as a reason to consider treatment, even when the number itself is small.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine for 4 hours before your scan, and skip strenuous exercise for 24 hours. You don't need to fast. You'll change into a hospital gown, so wear clothes that are easy to take off, and leave metal such as jewelry at home.

The scan itself takes a few minutes, and the whole visit about 10 to 15 minutes. It doesn't hurt: you lie still and hold your breath for a few seconds at a time.

About 1 to 2 mSv, roughly what you absorb from natural background radiation in 6 months. That is similar to a low-dose lung screening CT and a fraction of a coronary CT angiogram. It isn't done during pregnancy.

The physician who ordered your scan contacts you and sends your results to your doctor. Treatment usually means lowering LDL cholesterol, often with a statin, plus managing blood pressure, quitting smoking and staying active. A high score alone doesn't mean you need a stent or surgery: those are for symptoms or proven blockages. You usually can't lower the score itself. Statins can make existing plaque denser, so it may hold or rise even as your risk falls, which is why repeat scans rarely change the plan.

No. It shows calcified plaque, not how narrow your arteries are, and it misses soft plaque. A coronary CT angiogram or stress test answers those questions, and a doctor orders them when symptoms or results call for it.

If your score is 0, most people don't need another for about 5 years, sooner if you have diabetes, smoke or have a strong family history. If your score is above 0, repeat scans rarely change the plan. Managing your risk factors matters more.

Hospital heart scan programs often charge $49 to $150, usually with a doctor's order. Consumer brands charge about $350 to $640. Your price is shown on this page, and members pay less. It includes the physician's order, the radiologist's read and the report in your Mito dashboard, and it is the same whichever partner center you choose.

It is most useful when you're unsure whether to start a statin. Heart guidelines support it for adults 40 to 75 at borderline or intermediate risk, though there isn't yet evidence that scanning everyone improves outcomes. The score can change the decision: with a score of 0, very few people benefit from a statin over 10 years, while with a score above 100, many more do.

At partner hospitals and imaging centers nationwide. When you book, you choose a center and your preferred times, and the center confirms, usually within hours.

Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost, covering the lab and what it takes to run the service. It is never a profit on the test itself. Mito makes its money on the membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9 per month or $99 per year, and any applicable lab order or draw fee is itemized before you pay.

Yes. Mito's lab tests are HSA/FSA eligible, so you can pay with pre-tax dollars.

Add the test to your cart and select "Pay with HSA/FSA" at checkout. You'll finish on the secure checkout page of Flex, our HSA/FSA payments partner, and Flex emails you an itemized receipt from notifications@withflex.com for your records.

Most Mito tests are auto-substantiated, so you usually won't need a Letter of Medical Necessity. If your HSA/FSA administrator asks for more, contact us and we'll help.

You must be 18 or older to order a scan or fitness test through Mito. Before you add one to your cart, you answer a few short health questions so we can check that the test is right for you.

• Coronary Artery Calcium Scan: for people aged 40 to 75 with at least one heart risk factor and no known heart disease or heart symptoms. Risk factors include high cholesterol or blood pressure, diabetes, a family history of heart disease, a BMI over 25, smoking, or an inactive lifestyle. You'll also give your primary care provider's details.
• DEXA scans: not available if you're pregnant or may be pregnant, or if you've recently had a barium exam. If you have metal implants, a physician reviews your answers first.
• VO2 Max Test: not available if you're pregnant. Depending on your answers, you may need clearance from your own doctor before your appointment can be confirmed.

If your answers mean a test isn't a good fit, you'll see why before you buy.

No. If your test needs a physician's order, it's arranged for you as part of booking. You don't need to contact your own doctor or bring an order with you.

The one exception is the VO2 Max Test. If your health questionnaire shows you need medical clearance, we'll ask your own doctor to sign off first.

Yes, both use a low dose of radiation. The VO2 Max Test uses none.

• DEXA scans use a very low dose, much lower than a standard X-ray. It's about the same as the natural background radiation you get over a normal day.
• A coronary artery calcium scan uses a low to moderate dose, typically 1 to 3 millisieverts (mSv). That's a bit more than a few X-rays, but much less than a full CT scan. For comparison, everyday background radiation is about 3 mSv a year. For most people with heart risk factors, the benefit outweighs the small risk.

Don't have a DEXA or calcium score scan if you're pregnant or think you may be.

After you buy your scan, open your Mito dashboard and:

1. Answer the testing center's health questions, and add your emergency contact and primary care physician details.
2. Enter your ZIP code to find the nearest testing center.
3. Pick two appointment times: your preferred time and a backup.

The center then confirms one of those times, usually within 48 hours. We'll email you at each step: when we receive your booking request, when the center confirms your appointment, and a reminder before your visit. If your appointment is cancelled or missed, we'll let you know by email too.

Requested means we've sent your preferred times to the testing center, but the appointment isn't final yet. It may still be waiting on the center, on your health questions, or on a doctor's clearance.

Confirmed means the center has finalized your appointment and expects you at the date and time in your confirmation email.

Please don't treat a requested appointment as final. If it hasn't been confirmed within 48 hours, message Mito Concierge or email help@mitohealth.com.

You can reschedule or cancel from your Mito dashboard.

• Rescheduling: your first two reschedules are free when you make them more than 24 hours before your confirmed appointment. Each reschedule after that costs $25. If the center changes your time, that doesn't count toward your free reschedules.
• Cancelling more than 24 hours ahead: your purchase stays open while our care team reviews whether to refund it or use it to rebook. Refunds aren't automatic, so message us if you have a preference.
• Cancelling 24 hours or less before your appointment, or missing it: your purchase is forfeited. A new appointment needs a new purchase at the full price.

Follow the instructions in your confirmation email, because they can affect your results. If you don't prepare as instructed, the center may not be able to do the test.

For every appointment

• Bring a photo ID and your confirmation or reminder email.
• Arrive about 5 minutes before your appointment. Many centers have little waiting space, so don't arrive much earlier. If you're late, the center may not be able to see you.
• Don't bring children, and avoid bringing guests.

DEXA scans

• Wear comfortable clothes, such as gym clothes, with no metal or hard plastic. That means no zippers, buttons, underwire, jewelry, or watches.
• Don't eat for 2 to 4 hours before. Drink water normally.
• Avoid intense exercise, saunas, and steam rooms for 12 hours before.
• Tell the staff if you have metal in your body, such as a pin or a joint replacement.

VO2 Max Test

• Don't exercise for 24 hours before.
• Be well hydrated and fed, but avoid a heavy meal in the 2 to 3 hours before. A light snack is fine.
• Wear the clothes and shoes you normally exercise in.
• Allow 1 to 1.5 hours.

Coronary Artery Calcium Scan

• No alcohol or caffeine for 4 hours before.
• No strenuous exercise for 24 hours before.
• Wear clothes that are easy to take off, with no metal. A gown may be provided.

Your results are uploaded to your Mito dashboard, where you can view and download them. They usually arrive within 2 business days of your appointment. If you haven't seen them after 5 business days, message Mito Concierge or email help@mitohealth.com and we'll check.

Yes. Consultations are available to review your scan results and talk through what they mean for you. You can book one from your Mito dashboard.

A score above 0 means some calcified plaque was found in your heart's arteries. Your results go to the primary care provider you named when you booked, so they can follow up with you. You can also book a Mito consultation to go through your results.

If your report shows a serious blockage, a physician from the testing center may call you directly. The center's physicians decide when a call is needed, not Mito.

If you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or other symptoms that worry you, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Available in all 50 states and Washington, DC.