Contents
About this program
The heart and lung health screening at Acibadem pairs coronary CT angiography with a low-dose chest CT: 19 tests and assessments in half a day at a JCI-accredited hospital in Istanbul.
The Heart and Lung Health Screening Package pairs the two investigations that see the most: coronary CT angiography, which images the coronary arteries directly for plaque and narrowing, and a low-dose chest CT, which finds early lung nodules. Around them the program adds a cardiology and a chest diseases (pulmonology) examination, a resting ECG, echocardiography, a pulmonary function test and an 11-test laboratory panel covering cholesterol, blood sugar, kidney function, urinalysis, inflammation and blood count.
It is the program for people who want a definitive answer about their heart and lungs rather than a general overview, most often smokers and former smokers, people with a family history of early heart disease, and those with high cholesterol or blood pressure who want to know whether the arteries have already been affected.
What the heart and lung health screening looks for
Every item has a purpose. This is what each part of the day is looking for, in the words we would use to explain it to you at the final review.
Specialist examinations
The check-up (internal medicine) examination opens and closes the day: history, physical examination and the final review of every result. The cardiology examination integrates the ECG, cardiac imaging and your risk factors into a personal cardiovascular risk assessment. The chest diseases (pulmonology) examination reviews respiratory health and smoking-related risk, with a pulmonary function test measuring lung capacity and airflow for asthma, COPD and smoking-related change.
Imaging
Coronary CT angiography images the coronary arteries directly, showing plaque burden and narrowing; it is one of the most informative non-invasive tests for early coronary disease and is interpreted together with the cardiology examination. A low-dose chest CT is the screening tool for early lung nodules, most relevant for current or former smokers.
Heart
A resting ECG records heart rhythm and electrical conduction. Echocardiography images the heart’s chambers, valves and pumping function.
Laboratory panel (11 tests)
A complete blood count screens for anaemia, infection and abnormalities of the blood cells. Inflammation markers (erythrocyte sedimentation rate) point to hidden inflammation; high-sensitivity CRP is also read as an additional cardiovascular risk marker. Sugar metabolism is assessed with fasting glucose, the basis for detecting pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes early.
The lipid profile (total, LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglycerides) is the core of cardiovascular risk assessment. Kidney function (creatinine) with a complete urinalysis screens for early kidney disease and urinary infection; uric acid adds gout and metabolic risk.
Who should consider the heart and lung health screening
- Current or former smokers, for whom low-dose CT is the established lung screening method.
- Adults with a family history of early coronary disease, or with cholesterol, blood pressure or diabetes risk factors.
- People with exertional breathlessness or chest discomfort who have been told their ECG is normal and want a more definitive look.
The physician who reviews your results advises how often the program should be repeated; for screening imaging the interval depends on the findings and your risk profile.
How it compares with the other programs
The Heart Health (Including Coronary CT Angiography) program is the cardiac-only version, without the low-dose chest CT, pulmonology examination and lung function test.
Related programs: Heart Health (Including Coronary CT Angiography) Check-Up Program, Premium Men’s Check-Up Programor browse all check-up packages and the Check-Up unit.
How long it takes
Plan for about half a day, typically three to four hours. A coordinator plans the sequence, laboratory first while you are fasting, then imaging and examinations, so that you move through the hospital without waiting, and stays reachable throughout the visit.
How to prepare
- Fasting. Do not eat for eight to ten hours before the appointment (an early start is planned so that blood is taken first). Plain water is usually allowed, confirm this with the team when your appointment is confirmed.
- Coronary CT angiography. Avoid caffeine and energy drinks on the day. Tell the team about any previous contrast reaction, kidney condition, thyroid disease or metformin use; a heart-rate-slowing medicine is sometimes given before the scan.
- Lung function test. Avoid a heavy meal beforehand and follow the team’s advice on inhalers, which may need to be paused for a few hours.
- Records and medicines. Bring previous reports, imaging and a complete list of your medicines. Take your usual medication unless the team tells you otherwise when confirming the appointment.
Results, report and follow-up
The large majority of laboratory results are ready the same day and are reviewed with you by the check-up physician before you leave; a written report in English follows, together with digital copies of your images and reports.
A few items take longer, detailed radiology reports for MRI and CT usually follow within a few working days. They are sent to you in English, and if anything needs discussion the physician arranges a call or an online consultation.
If a result needs a closer look, the relevant specialist is in the same hospital: additional imaging, a biopsy or a consultation can usually be arranged within days, and you decide how to proceed with the full picture in hand. Nothing in a check-up replaces care for existing symptoms, if you have a specific complaint, tell the team so the right specialist sees you first.
Price and what is included
Pricing for the Heart and Lung Health Screening Package 2025 Check Up Program is confirmed as a written quote before you commit, in your preferred currency. The quote covers every examination, test and imaging study listed on this page, the physician review, the written report in English, hospital coordination and interpreter support.
Not included are travel and accommodation, tests the physician recommends in addition to the program, and any treatment that follows from a finding, each is quoted separately before it is performed.
Why have the heart and lung health screening at Acibadem
Acibadem Healthcare Group runs JCI-accredited hospitals in Istanbul with their own laboratories, imaging centres and specialist departments under one roof, which is what makes a complete program possible in a single visit, and what makes follow-up simple when a finding needs one. International patients are supported by a dedicated team in 25 languages, from the written quote before travel to the report after it.
More questions about the heart and lung health screening
Does coronary CT angiography use contrast?
Yes: an iodine-based contrast agent injected through a vein. Kidney function is checked in the laboratory panel beforehand, and you should tell the team about any previous contrast reaction, thyroid disease or metformin use.
Do I need to prepare?
Fast for a few hours, avoid caffeine and energy drinks on the day, and take your usual medication unless told otherwise. A medicine to slow the heart rate is sometimes given before the scan for sharper images.
Is the radiation dose high?
Modern coronary CT angiography and low-dose chest CT use a small fraction of the dose of conventional CT; the team plans both scans to keep the total as low as possible.
This page describes the content of a preventive program and is not medical advice. Screening tests have limits: a normal result lowers, but does not remove, the possibility of disease, and some findings need further tests to clarify. Discuss your individual situation with a physician.