Man reading to his grandkids after getting a heart scan from an Ascension site of care.

Get a heart scan in Austin

Heart doctors at Ascension Seton hospitals in Central Texas deliver heart screenings and cardiac imaging to diagnose and treat heart conditions.

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A simple heart scan can help you and your doctor better understand your heart health so that you can get the right treatment sooner. A heart scan creates high-resolution images to identify and measure calcium-containing plaque in your arteries. Too much plaque can narrow your arteries and restrict blood flow. If daily tasks or a short walk are more difficult than they used to be, ask about your heart screening options.

Calcium buildup in your arteries can be caused by diet, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other pre-existing medical conditions. That’s why our heart care team starts by getting to know you. We listen to understand you and your health concerns. Then, we work together to create a heart care plan that’s right for you.

Who should get a heart scan?

Your age, gender, lifestyle and medical history play a role in your heart health. You may benefit from a heart scan if you:

Are a man over age 40 or a woman over age 50
Are a smoker or have a history of smoking
Have a family history of heart attack at an early age
Have diabetes
Have high blood pressure
Have high cholesterol

*A heart scan is not for everyone. It is not recommended for routine screening of people who do not have symptoms of heart disease and have a low risk of heart attacks. Heart disease risk factors include hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use, family history of heart disease. We recommend you work with your doctor on your overall health plan and any risk factors you have.

Schedule a heart scan, close to home

A doctor’s referral from your primary care doctor is needed to schedule a heart scan. After your heart scan, your care team sends your results to your cardiologist.

SCHEDULE YOUR HEART SCAN

Advanced imaging for your heart

Care teams at Ascension Seton provide advanced diagnostics and cardiac imaging, including:

Cardiac MRI – advanced imaging technology used to diagnose heart disease.
Chest X-ray – used to diagnose chest trauma and heart-lung disease.
CT angiography – used in combination with the HeartFlow® test to diagnose and treat heart and vascular conditions.
Echocardiography – also known as an echo test, uses ultrasound to show heart function.
Electrocardiogram (EKG) – records how your heart’s electrical system is working and creates a digital record, so your doctor can quickly assess your heart during routine checkups and emergency care.
Exercise stress test – records your heart’s activity while you walk on a treadmill.
Event monitor – a small recording device that records your heart activity, and is used as part of our cardiovascular telehealth monitoring services.
HeartFlow® cardiac imaging – creates a 3D image of the heart and arteries to detect blood flow blockages.
Holter – a recording device that records the electrical activity of your heart for 24 hours.
Myocardial perfusion test – also known as a nuclear stress test, helps your doctor see how your heart muscle works at rest compared to when it’s working during exercise.
Nuclear cardiology imaging – creates 3D images of your heart structure to evaluate heart failure and other heart conditions.
Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) – uses an ultrasound probe placed in your esophagus to create images of your heart.
Tilt table testing – evaluates your blood pressure and heart rate while mimicking the conditions of a fainting episode.

HeartFlow® helps diagnose coronary artery disease

Clogged arteries, also known as coronary artery disease (CAD), happens when plaque, including fats and cholesterol, build up on your artery walls. Plaque buildup, called atherosclerosis, can slow or completely block blood flow to your heart. If left untreated, CAD can lead to heart failure and heart attack. At Ascension Seton, our cardiac imaging specialists use 3D HeartFlow® imaging technology to diagnose CAD.

Diagnostic imaging for vascular conditions

Interventional vascular specialists at Ascension Seton deliver imaging tests to help diagnose and treat heart and vascular conditions. These can affect the peripheral arteries in your legs, carotid arteries to your brain, your renal artery and other veins in your lower limbs. Interventional vascular specialists may provide advanced vein care to help improve circulation, reduce pain and swelling, and manage restless leg syndrome.

Connected to a national team for heart care

When you need more advanced heart care, your doctor can connect you with the right cardiovascular specialists close to home. Your personalized heart care may include advanced surgical options. And your doctor is part of a national team of specialists, surgeons and care teams, delivering the latest in heart care testing, treatment and procedures.

Cardiac imaging locations

Northern locations:

Ascension Seton Williamson
201 Seton Parkway
Round Rock, TX 78665
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Surface parking available at no charge.

Ascension Seton Highland Lakes
3201 S. Water St.
Burnet, TX 78611
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Surface parking available at no charge.

Central Locations:

Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin
1201 W. 38th St.
Austin, TX 78705
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Parking garage available.

Dell Seton Medical Center
at The University of Texas
1500 Red River
Austin, TX 78701
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Parking garage available

Ascension Seton Northwest
11113 Research Blvd.
Austin, TX 78759
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Surface parking available at no charge.

Southern locations:

Ascension Seton Edgar B. Davis
130 Hays St.
Luling, TX 78648
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Surface parking available at no charge.

Ascension Seton Southwest
7900 FM-1826
Austin, TX 78737
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Surface parking available at no charge.

Ascension Seton Hays
6001 Kyle Parkway
Kyle, TX 78640
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Surface parking available at no charge.

Frequently asked questions about heart scans

When should you have a heart scan?
Your age, gender, lifestyle and medical history play a role in your heart health. If you have symptoms of heart disease or are unsure about your risk, talk to your doctor about a heart scan. A CT heart scan can help you and your doctor better understand your risk for heart attack. The imaging test delivers a coronary calcium score based on the amount of calcium-containing plaque that has built up in your heart arteries. You may benefit from a heart scan if you:

Are a man over age 40 or a woman over age 50

Are a smoker or have a history of smoking

Have a family history of heart attack at an early age

Have diabetes

Have high blood pressure

Have high cholesterol

Talk with your doctor about having a coronary calcium scoring heart scan. You should not have a heart scan if you are pregnant, or have already had a heart attack, coronary bypass surgery or a coronary stent.
What happens during a heart scan?

A calcium scoring heart scan is a specialized X-ray called a CT scan. This imaging test takes a cross-sectional picture of the coronary arteries that supply blood to your heart muscle. The test can show your doctor if there are calcified plaque deposits (composed of fats, cholesterol, calcium and other substances) in the coronary arteries.

During your heart scan, you'll be asked to lie still and hold your breath for a few seconds. Then, your radiology technician will operate the scanner from a room next door. You can still see and talk to your technician throughout the procedure. After your heart scan, a report is sent to your doctor, who will review the results. Your doctor will discuss your risk for heart disease and work with you to create a treatment plan that is right for you. At Ascension sites of care, your heart care team collaborates, working together to monitor your symptoms and overall health.
How long does a heart scan take?

A heart scan imaging test takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes once the test begins. During your appointment, you’ll also have a conversation with your doctor about your health history, risk factors for heart disease and treatment options that are right for you.
How serious is calcium buildup in the heart?

Calcified plaque buildup, that includes calcium, cholesterol and fat, can cause your arteries to narrow. This condition is serious, as it can reduce or completely block blood flow to your heart. Calcium deposits are a marker for coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease in the United States.

Heart care can’t wait. If being active is more difficult than it used to be and you are feeling fatigue more often, ask your doctor about heart screening options. Schedule a calcium scoring heart scan at an Ascension site of care near you.
What is a good calcium score on a heart scan?
Your heart scan provides information about the level of calcification in your coronary arteries and helps determine your overall heart health. A calcium score ranges from 0 to over 400. A higher score means a higher risk of having heart disease:

0 - no calcification

1-10 - minimal calcification

11-100 - mild calcification

101-400 - moderate calcification (high risk for heart disease)

400 and above - extensive calcification (high to severe risk of heart disease)

Knowing you’re at risk for heart disease could save your life. And a simple heart screening can help you and your doctor better understand your heart health. Schedule a heart screening today.
Can a blood test diagnose heart problems?
A cholesterol test, also called a lipid profile, is a test that checks for unhealthy levels of cholesterol in your blood. Cholesterol is a wax-like substance that can build up on the walls of your coronary arteries, restricting or blocking blood flow. The test evaluates:

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) - LDL is also called “bad cholesterol” because it can cause plaque buildup within your arteries.

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) - HDL is also called “good cholesterol” because higher levels can help lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Triglycerides - Triglycerides are fats in your blood that your body uses for energy. Combined with LDL or HDL cholesterol, triglycerides may increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Total cholesterol - This is the total amount of cholesterol found in your blood, including HDL, LDL, and triglycerides.

Other cardiac blood screenings are used to test cardiac enzymes, such as troponin (a type of protein that’s released when the heart muscle is damaged). This information can help your doctor diagnose a heart attack, infection and other health conditions that can affect your heart.
How do I schedule a heart scan near me?

Knowing if you’re at risk for heart disease could save your life. And a simple heart scan can help you and your doctor better understand your heart health. Ask your doctor about your heart scan options.

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Get a heart scan in Austin

Who should get a heart scan?