Knowing about a health problem before it causes symptoms can change everything about how it's managed. Preventive scans are designed to provide that early look — revealing disease inside the body while there's still time to act.

Key Points

• Preventive scans look for disease in people without symptoms, similar in purpose to mammograms or colonoscopies.
• Hospitals typically perform CT scans only with symptoms and a physician's order; preventive imaging centers offer scans without a referral.
• Findings are meant to be shared with a personal physician for follow-up.
• Adults 50 and older, or 40 and older with risk factors, are common candidates.

What Is a Preventive Scan?

A preventive scan works on the same principle as other routine screenings: it's done before any warning signs, with the goal of catching disease and cancer before they become life-threatening.

The difference is access. Most medical centers schedule CT scans only when a patient has symptoms and a doctor's order. Preventive imaging centers such as Advanced Body Scan offer preventive scans directly to individuals who want the information on their own timeline.

A Patient's Experience

One couple's story illustrates the value. When Vicki S. and her husband came in for scans, her results were normal — but his showed a high level of coronary calcium. They brought the results to an appointment they had already scheduled with their doctor, who ordered an EKG, a Doppler study and a stress test. He failed the stress test, was admitted directly to the hospital for an angiogram, and underwent quadruple bypass surgery the next day.

His only symptom beforehand had been fatigue, which the couple had blamed on a heavy work schedule. Vicki later wrote that without the scan, they never would have known about the 90% blockages. More accounts like this are collected on the Stories of Survival page.

How Preventive Screening Helps

Preventive health screening helps people understand their risk for chronic conditions before symptoms are present, while they can still take action. When a scan reveals an unrecognized problem, the results can be shared with a personal physician, giving them a more complete picture of the patient's overall health and guiding follow-up care.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

Screening for cardiovascular disease, stroke risk and other chronic conditions is especially valuable for adults 50 and older, or 40 and older with risk factors such as:

• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• A history of smoking
• A family history of stroke or heart disease

Heart and Lung Imaging

A combined heart and lung scan focuses on the areas linked to the two leading causes of death — heart disease and cancer, with lung cancer the deadliest cancer. Details on these options are available on the heart scan and lung scan pages.

The Takeaway

Preventive screening is one more tool for staying ahead of your health. It works best alongside regular care, so share any results and concerns with your health care provider.