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Cardiac CT

Understand your cardiac CT — in language that actually makes sense

Upload your cardiac CT or coronary calcium scan and get a clear, plain-language explanation of what the findings mean: your calcium score, artery narrowing, plaque, and the heart and aorta findings around them.

Analyze My Cardiac CT See a sample report first
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Cardiac CT heart cross-sections on a radiology reading-room monitor — ReadYourLab AI cardiac CT interpretation

What a cardiac CT is really telling you

A cardiac CT comes in two main flavours: a calcium score, which measures the calcified plaque in your heart's arteries and turns it into a single number, and a CT coronary angiogram (with contrast dye), which pictures the artery walls and how open they are.

The report leans on jargon — "Agatston score," "non-calcified plaque," "CAD-RADS" — that maps directly onto your heart risk but rarely says, in plain words, what your particular numbers mean or how worried to be.

ReadYourLab reads your scan with medical AI and rewrites the report in plain language: what each finding and score is, how it's usually interpreted, and which results are worth a prompt conversation with your doctor. It's an informed first look — not a diagnosis, and never a reason to start or stop any treatment on your own.

Common cardiac CT findings — explained

The terms that show up most often on cardiac CT reports, and what they usually mean.

Coronary artery calcification

Scored (Agatston)

Calcium in the walls of the heart's arteries, a marker of plaque built up over years. It's turned into a calcium score. A score of zero is reassuring; higher scores reflect more plaque and are used to guide prevention with your doctor.

Full explanation

Coronary artery narrowing (stenosis)

Ask your doctor

A point where an artery is narrowed by plaque, described as mild, moderate, or severe. Mild narrowing is very common and usually managed with prevention; more significant narrowing is what your cardiologist weighs most carefully.

Full explanation

Non-calcified (soft) plaque

Read in context

Plaque that hasn't calcified yet, seen only on a contrast angiogram. It's part of the same atherosclerosis picture and is interpreted alongside the calcium score and any narrowing.

Full explanation

Aortic calcification / dilation

Common with age

Calcium in the wall of the aorta, or a vessel that looks a little wider than average. Both are common with age and blood-pressure history; significant widening is measured and, if needed, monitored.

Full explanation

Pericardial effusion

Cause matters

Fluid in the sac around the heart. Small amounts can be normal or incidental; larger ones prompt a look for the cause and are read alongside your symptoms.

Full explanation

Enlarged heart chamber

Read in context

A heart chamber that measures larger than expected. Cardiac CT measures this well; its meaning depends on which chamber and on your history and other tests.

Full explanation

Incidental lung nodule

Usually followed up

Cardiac CT captures the edges of the lungs, so a small lung nodule is a common incidental find. Most are benign and simply followed with a dedicated chest CT if needed.

Full explanation

Descriptions here are general education, not a reading of your specific scan, and never a basis for changing medication. Always review your report and your calcium score with your doctor, and seek emergency care for chest pain, pressure, or breathlessness.

The scores in your cardiac CT report

Cardiac CT is unusual in producing actual numbers — these are the two you're most likely to see.

Agatston calcium score (CAC)

Learn more

A single number summarising how much calcified plaque is in your coronary arteries. Zero is reassuring; broad bands (for example low, moderate, high) are used with your other risk factors to guide prevention. It measures plaque, not a blockage.

CAD-RADS (0–5)

Learn more

Used on a contrast CT coronary angiogram to summarise the most significant narrowing, from none (0) to severe (5). It's a standardised way to describe the arteries — your cardiologist decides what, if anything, follows.

Sample AI report excerpt

What your AI cardiac CT report looks like

A short excerpt from a real, anonymized cardiac CT analysis — rendered the way you'll see it.

Patient explanation

Cardiac CT — Plain-Language Summary

Your scan shows a moderate amount of coronary calcium and no severe narrowing — a prevention conversation, not an emergency.

There is a moderate calcium score, meaning some plaque has built up in the heart's arteries over the years. No single artery shows severe narrowing on this study. This is the kind of result doctors use to tailor prevention.

Key points

  • Moderate coronary calcium score — a marker of built-up plaque that guides prevention with your doctor.
  • No severe narrowing of any single coronary artery on this study.
  • Heart chambers and the sac around the heart appear unremarkable.

Excerpt shown for illustration. Your report is generated from your own scan.

How to analyze your cardiac CT

From a folder of DICOM slices to a plain-language report in minutes.

  1. 1 Select the folder containing your cardiac CT DICOM files (.dcm) — from a CD, USB stick, or your patient portal download.
  2. 2 Preview the slices in the free online viewer to confirm you've picked the right series.
  3. 3 Upload the series for AI analysis (a quick sign-up is needed for your first report).
  4. 4 Read your plain-language cardiac CT report in minutes, then ask follow-up questions about any finding or score.

Why ReadYourLab for your cardiac CT

Built for patients, honest about its limits.

Reads the whole 3D volume

The AI analyzes your full stack of slices as a 3D volume, relating the calcium, the arteries, and the heart — not one flat image at a time.

Explains your score in plain words

Your calcium score and any narrowing are put into everyday language, flagged by how much attention they typically warrant, with a chat for follow-up questions.

Private by design

Your scan is encrypted in transit and at rest, never sold, and you can delete it at any time. GDPR compliant.

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Cardiac CT analysis — frequently asked questions

Common questions about AI cardiac CT analysis, calcium scores, uploads, and privacy.

Can AI read my cardiac CT or calcium score?
Yes. Upload your cardiac CT or coronary calcium scan (the folder of DICOM slices) and the AI produces a plain-language explanation of the findings — your calcium score, artery narrowing, plaque, and heart and aorta findings — in a few minutes, with severity-coded findings and a summary. It's an educational first look to help you understand your report and prepare questions, not a diagnosis or a replacement for your cardiologist.

How do I upload a CT — do I need the whole folder of slices?
Yes — a CT is hundreds of DICOM (.dcm) slices that together form a 3D volume, so you select the whole folder rather than a single image. You can drag in a folder from a CD, USB stick, or your patient-portal download; the viewer lets you preview and pick the right series before analysis.

Is my CT kept private?
Yes. Your scan is encrypted in transit and at rest, is never shared with third parties or sold, and you can delete it at any time. ReadYourLab is GDPR compliant.

Is this a diagnosis or a replacement for my doctor?
No. ReadYourLab is an educational tool, not a medical device, and does not provide a diagnosis. It is never a basis for starting, stopping, or changing any medication. The AI can be wrong — it may miss real findings or describe ones that aren't clinically important. Always review your results and your calcium score with your own doctor, and seek emergency care for chest pain, pressure, or breathlessness.

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Analyze My Cardiac CT