Coronary artery calcium scoring in risk stratification: from international cohorts to local adaptation in Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring is a non-invasive imaging technique that quantifies the burden of calcified atherosclerotic plaque, thereby aiding in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk stratification.Its clinical utility has been validated across multiple ethnic cohorts, primarily via the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).However, populations such as Saudi Arabians are not included in MESA, limiting the direct applicability of percentile-based risk estimations.This article provides an overview of CAC scoring, its clinical utility, insights from MESA, and proposed strategies to address the underrepresentation of Middle Eastern populations, especially the Saudi population, in CAC reference databases.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Cardiac Imaging and Diagnostics
Health Promotion and Cardiovascular Prevention
Healthcare Systems and Public Health
Publication details
- Journal / source
- The Annals of Clinical and Analytical Medicine
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 03
- Pages
- 291–294
- Publication date
- 1 January 2026
- Language
- EN