Originally Posted by
pdlamb
The CT sounds good on paper, but I'd have had a false negative if I hadn't had the MI two days before my CT scan appointment. (Had a bit of a discussion with them later, I'm not non-compliant because I missed the appointment, I missed it because I was in the hospital and one of the group's doctors did a stent on me!) My cardiologist told me 20-30% of MIs are soft plaque like mine was, and the plaque hasn't calcified.
My first and only stress test was a stress echocardiogram a year later. The stress part was a breeze. Stopping cold and laying down for the echo was awful. But the result was clean, so that was good.
Yikes.
I think there are two possible CT angiograms ... with and without contrast. I think the ones with contrast would find the obstruction even with soft plaque, but that opinion is only worth what I know about the subject ... pretty close to zero.
As always, chat with your doc!