Provide Access to Proactive Screening

CCTA is covered by most insurance plans when ordered by your physician for the evaluation of chest pain or other risk factors for heart disease. In addition, the FFR-CT analysis has Class I coverage, meaning most payers reimburse it when your CCTA shows a 40–90% narrowing in a coronary artery. AI plaque analysis is also gaining coverage. A new national CPT code takes effect January 1, 2026, which will make reimbursement widespread. Until then, coverage varies by insurance carrier, but is expanding quickly as payers adopt the technology. At TrueScan, we submit all claims following payer guidelines and work with your insurance to maximize coverage for your test.

There are several advantages that make MRI a superior choice for screening for tumors. Firstly, MRI doesn't use harmful radiation, unlike CT scans. This means we can theoretically perform MRI scans as frequently as needed without increasing the patient's risk of radiation-induced health issues. MRI can differentiate between various types of soft tissues much more effectively than CT, which primarily relies on density differences. This enhanced contrast allows MRI to detect subtle changes in tissue composition that might indicate the presence of a tumor, even in its early stages. ‍ MRI's multiparametric capabilities provide a wealth of information about tissue characteristics. Different MRI sequences (e.g. T1-weighted, T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted imaging) can reveal various aspects of tissue properties, helping to characterize tumors more accurately. For instance, diffusion-weighted imaging can help distinguish between benign and malignant lesions based on the movement of water molecules within tissues. MRI also excels in imaging certain body areas where CT has limitations. For example, MRI is particularly effective for detecting brain tumors due to its superior contrast in neural tissues. However, it is important to note that low-dose chest CT remains the gold standard for lung cancer screening.

A calcium score test is a quick, non-contrast CT that measures only calcified plaque. While it provides a general sense of overall plaque burden, it has major limitations: it does not show whether plaque is narrowing your arteries (stenosis), whether blood flow is reduced, or whether treatment might be needed. Even more critically, calcium scoring completely misses soft and necrotic plaque – the unstable types most likely to rupture and cause heart attacks. Many patients can have a calcium score of '0' while still carrying high-risk plaque. An AI Heart Scan (CCTA with HeartFlow) uses contrast to provide a complete view of your coronary arteries. It shows anatomy plus plaque type (soft, calcified, and necrotic) and severity. The scan also measures how each narrowing affects blood flow (FFR), helping determine whether intervention is needed or if the plaque can be safely monitored and treated. In short: a calcium score gives you a rough total of calcified plaque, while an AI Heart Scan provides a full roadmap of your arteries, plaque, and blood flow – insights that directly guide treatment decisions.

No. Our scan is intended to serve as an adjunct to, but not replace, other established evidence-based screening practices for early detection of specific malignancies, such as dedicated breast imaging, colonoscopy, Pap-smear screening, and low-dose chest CT for high-risk patients.