A normal nuclear stress test is not to be interpreted as absence of disease, only the absence of advanced obstructive disease.

A nuclear stress test detects advanced disease when an artery has developed more than 60% obstruction of the lumen and significant blood flow reduction during exercise. The vast majority of heart attacks are due to plaque rupture of an artery with only mild narrowing are not detectable by nuclear stress test.

Ultrafast cardiac CT for coronary artery calcification is a simple 30 second test that requires NO intravenous injection of any isotope or contrast and no special patient preparation.

Many asymptomatic patients with 2 or more risk factors with normal nuclear stress may have subclinical disease and are, in fact, at high risk not low risk.

Because 650,000 of the 1,100,000 hearts attacks that occur in the US annually are first heart attacks, and because preventive treatment is highly effective, the ability to detect as many of these asymptomatic patients as early as possible is an important diagnostic tool for primary prevention. Cardiac CT for coronary calcium score is just that tool.

Nuclear stress test only detects the presence of heart disease when the obstruction has exceeded 60% - in the late stage.

Ultrafast Cardiac CT detects, localizes and quantifies calcification the plaques. In most cases, coronary artery calcification is detectable many years before significant obstruction develops and gives preventive therapy a good headstart.