Calcium Score Test in Miami, FL
Your cholesterol panel estimates your heart disease risk. A coronary calcium score measures it: the scan counts the actual plaque in your arteries, so you and your physician stop guessing. At our Brickell clinic the whole visit takes about 10 minutes, with no needles and no contrast dye, and a physician reviews every result.
Book Your Calcium Score Test →Key takeaways
- Where: Strong Health offers CT coronary calcium score testing at its Brickell clinic, 1000 Brickell Plaza, Miami, FL 33131. No referral is needed; the physician order is part of the service.
- Visit: The scan takes about 10 minutes on an open CT table, with no needles, contrast dye, or enclosed tube.
- Radiation: The dose is about 1 millisievert, similar to a mammogram and roughly a third of a year of natural background exposure.
- Results: A score of 0 is the strongest negative risk marker in preventive cardiology; guidelines generally favor statin therapy at 100 or higher. Every result includes a physician review.
- Book: Call or text (754) 263-6026; same-week appointments are typically available.
What does a coronary calcium score actually measure?
A CT calcium score test uses a low-dose CT scanner to find calcified plaque in the arteries that feed your heart. The result is a single number, the Agatston score, that runs from 0 (no detectable calcium) into the thousands. Calcium only appears where atherosclerosis has already started, so the score is direct evidence of disease rather than a statistical estimate.
That's the difference from a lipid panel. Plenty of people with "fine" cholesterol carry significant plaque, and plenty of people with scary LDL numbers have clean arteries. In the MESA study of more than 6,800 adults, the coronary calcium score test predicted heart events better than any traditional risk factor, cholesterol included.
Wondering how your number compares to other people your age? See our average calcium score by age charts for percentile tables at 40, 50, 60, and 70+.
Why is a calcium score the tie-breaker for the statin decision?
The classic candidate is someone in their 40s or 50s with borderline cholesterol who has been going back and forth with their doctor about starting a statin. A score of 0 supports waiting; a score of 100+ usually settles the question the other way. Cardiology guidelines endorse exactly this use.
The other group we see a lot: people already tracking body composition with DEXA and testing VO2 max who want the same clarity about their arteries. If you're optimizing healthspan, this is the cardiac data point the others don't give you.
How does the scan work? 10 minutes, no needles.
You lie on an open CT table, fully clothed, and hold your breath for a few seconds while the scanner images your heart. That's the entire test. There is no IV, no contrast dye, no fasting beforehand, and no enclosed tube. If you can lie still for ten minutes, you can do this scan.
Radiation exposure is about 1 millisievert: similar to a mammogram, and roughly a third of the background radiation the average person absorbs in a year just by existing. For a scan most people repeat every five years at most, that dose buys a lot of information.
What does your calcium score mean?
Calcium scores fall into four bands: 0 means no detectable plaque, 1–99 is mild, 100–399 is moderate, and 400+ is extensive.
| Score | Plaque burden | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No detectable plaque | Very low 10-year risk. A statin is rarely needed on this basis alone. |
| 1–99 | Mild | Plaque is present. Time to treat risk factors before it grows. |
| 100–399 | Moderate | A statin is generally recommended. Follow-up with a physician. |
| 400+ | Extensive | High event risk. See a cardiologist and treat aggressively. |
The same number means different things at different ages: a 200 at 45 is alarming, a 200 at 75 is below average. Our calcium score by age guide covers the percentiles in detail.
What happens if my calcium score is high?
Treatment for a high calcium score centers on statin therapy, blood pressure control, and lifestyle changes, not surgery. A statin stabilizes existing plaque and slows new growth, and scores of 400+ warrant a cardiology evaluation for further testing.
One honest thing to know upfront: you can't lower the score itself. Calcified plaque is permanent, and statins can even nudge the number up slightly as they harden and stabilize plaque. The goal is stopping progression and preventing rupture, which is what causes heart attacks. On that measure, treatment works extremely well.
The standard playbook: a statin matched to your score and risk factors, LDL targets confirmed with follow-up labs, blood pressure under 130/80, and regular aerobic exercise. Follow-up imaging is occasionally used to track progression, but most physicians treat based on the first result.
Every scan at Strong Health includes a physician review of your result. If your score comes back elevated, we'll walk through your options in plain terms, and our Miami physicians can manage the follow-up plan with you by telehealth.
How much does a calcium score test cost in Miami?
Calcium score testing at our Brickell clinic is transparent, direct-pay pricing: most patients pay between $100 and $200, which covers the scan and the physician review of your result. No facility fees, no surprise bill three weeks later.
Insurance rarely covers screening calcium scores: most carriers classify the scan as preventive imaging and decline it, even though the test often costs less than the copays on the appointments it replaces. Direct pay keeps it simple: one price and no pre-authorization paperwork.
Call (754) 263-6026 or text us for current pricing and same-week availability.
How does a calcium score compare with a CT angiogram or stress test?
For a person with no symptoms, the calcium score is the right first step: it's the cheapest and simplest of the three, and its result determines whether the others are worth doing at all.
| Test | What it shows | Best for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium score | Calcified plaque burden (Agatston score) | First-line screening when you have no symptoms | 10 minutes, no needles, no contrast, lowest cost |
| CT angiogram | Soft and calcified plaque, plus blockages | Symptoms, or a high score that needs a closer look | Uses IV contrast dye and more radiation |
| Stress test | Whether blood flow limits the heart under load | Diagnosing symptoms like chest pain on exertion | Detects advanced blockages, misses early plaque |
Where do I get scanned in Brickell?
Our clinic sits in Miami's Brickell financial district, with validated parking and the Brickell Metrorail station a three-block walk away.
What to expect at your appointment
What do Miami patients ask about calcium score testing?
Is a calcium score of 0 a guarantee I won't have a heart attack?
How often should I repeat a calcium score test?
Does the scan hurt?
Should I start a statin if my score is above 100?
Can I get a calcium score test in Miami without a doctor's order?
Is the radiation from a calcium score scan safe?
Want the full data on typical scores at every age? Read our average calcium score by age guide. A VO2 max test adds the fitness side of your heart-health picture, and a Miami hearing test covers the other modifiable longevity risk most annual checkups skip, see all Strong Health diagnostics.
Book your calcium score test in Miami
Ten minutes at our Brickell clinic, and you'll know what's actually in your arteries. No referral needed, physician-reviewed, same-week booking.
Book Your Calcium Score Test →