A Heart Scan with Plaque Analysis to determine my Fate! [TD Times]

My Dad had his first heart attack at age 48.
He died of a heart attack at age 58.
His father (my grandfather) died of a heart attack at age 41. Yep.
Not good.

I’ve been determined, despite some bad genetics (of the heart), to not succumb to a similar fate as my Dad and grandfather both at such young ages. So in 2024, I committed to do something a bit non-traditional but extremely progressive. I decided to get a 3-D Heart Scan and look at EVERYTHING, including the plaque inside my heart.

Time for a Heart CT-Scan with Plaque-Analysis
Low & behold, I finally got my 3-D heart scan done on Dec 30 th , 2024. Nothing like waiting until the end of the year to complete one of my 2024 goals. Haha.
Truth be told, I was ambivalent about finding out the results.
Part of me wanted to know where I was at.
Part of me did not want to know (sorry, I’m just being honest with you).

But I knew I NEEDED to do this. For me. My family. My community. For LIFE.

The Scan Was a Breeze
I got my scan at a place called “Image One” in San Diego. I met with Dr. Milind Parikh, Cardiologist and the Director at this extremely progressive and state-of-the-art clinic. After getting my vitals, it was time for the CT Heart Scan. I chose to get the additional Plaque-Analysis as it’s the plaque in your heart, arteries, or veins that can ultimately kill you.

Fact: Heart disease is the #1 leading cause of death in the U.S. 1 in 5 people die from heart disease each year.

50% of people who suffer a heart attack will do so without experiencing symptoms.

70% of heart attack victims are considered low risk by traditional methods of assessing heart disease.

75% of lesions that are responsible for heart attacks only cause mild narrowing of the arteries and are missed by conventional stress testing.

Receiving the 3-D Heart Scan was much like getting an MRI. I was “in the tube” for only about 7-10 minutes. The only thing different about this was they had to shoot some contrast into me to get the best pictures possible.

Speaking of great pictures, one of the unique things about this experience was that the actual machine is the latest technology (infused with AI technology) that takes 640 slices/ “pictures” (versus the standard machine that takes 64/128 slices). That means the quality and accuracy of the images with this new technology is as good as it possibly gets. Additionally, the advanced AI software provides some fascinating analyses.

And just like that…Part 1 was over and I was out the door within an hour.

The Follow-up & Results
One week later after my test, I had my follow-up appointment with Dr. Parikh (just earlier this week). This was the one that I was really nervous to find out the results about.

A few things:

1. Dr. Parikh is awesome. I had about an hour discussion with him on heart-health, heart-attacks, bio-markers to track, and specific things I could do to keep my heart health solid. He has a genuine passion to help people and he believes in “preventative cardiology” whole-heartedly (pardon the pun) and the power of Medicine 3.0.

2. Sleep. Exercise. Nutrition. Stress-levels. Mindset. We went deep on ALL-5 of these pillars of health and how important they really are. The first four are “obvious” and well-documented. Dr. Parikh had some great thoughts/ideas around these topics, especially since he knew I had sleep apnea and that I focus hard on getting
quality sleep. The one pillar that was a bit eye-opening was his tie to mindset and heart-health. He spoke of the importance of how a strong and positive mindset plays a crucial role in heart health. He was speaking my language.

Additionally, he shared with me some current intense studies going on now in the nutrition world (around different popular diets) that will be spectacular when the results come back in the 1.5 years. #StayTuned

3. My Results. I got a very similar type of exam about 10-years ago before I went on the TV Show, NBC STRONG. They wouldn’t let me participate on STRONG without having a “nuclear die test” before competing at the time. Similar test but it’s come a loooonnng way since then and the technology has much improved. My results back then were close to “perfect.” No plaque and everything looked great. I was 43-years old then (close to the same age as when my grandfather died). Well, almost 10-years later, I still got pretty good results. Not perfect by any means but I have my game plan of what I have to do to stay in the “good” range. I really loved seeing all the numbers (specifically my plaque volume) and being able to track these numbers for the years to come.

4. Baseline Established. Possibly most important in all of this is I now have a great baseline for where I’m at. Since Dr. Parikh advised that I get my next test in approximately 2-years, this will allow me to see any changes in one direction or the other. And the technology that’s also flooded with AI, gives you a ton of information that was never accessible before this technology existed. I am committed to do all that I need to do to STAY HEALTHY. And I am fortunate that I have a new member on my health team, Dr. Parikh, a cardiologist committed to Medicine 3.0 and a leader in “preventative cardiology.” I love the sounds of that!

5. GET TESTED! I can’t tell you how important it is to be PROACTIVE with all of your health. Of course, your exercise, nutrition, sleep, mindset, and stress-levels play critical roles. But to get your health assessments and annual checkups with your allopathic doctors is absolutely essential.

And if you have heart disease in your family or you want to know where you stand with plaque in your heart and get a baseline, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of getting tested like I just did. Look for a “CT Heart Scan with Plaque Analysis” at a clinic near you. If you don’t find one, then come out here to San Diego and spend a day training with me and then get tested. Haha.

Or maybe vice-versa!! 

At the end of the day, Medicine 3.0 is where it’s at. Quarterbacking your health on all levels and taking advantage of some of the amazing technology that exists is a way that you can literally change the trajectory of your life.

Does this Test Predict When I’m Going to Die?

Of course not. That’s not the point…exactly. But it is to predict the risk and likelihood of heart attack and gives you some very important scores and numbers that can help you prevent heart attacks and heart disease.

Lastly, I share this highly personal test and experience with you to try and help you. Perhaps you want to get tested sometime in 2025 or in the near future. And if a handful of you commit to do that and receive some analytics and numbers that can ultimately prevent a heart attack or even death, or live even longer, than this article was worth it.

Here’s the thing…I wish my Dad had this technology in 1992 before he passed away. He probably would have lived a lot longer. And I wish my grandfather had that kind of technology as I never got to meet him and he certainly would have lived past 43-years old. And I bet you know a few people who have passed away from a heart attack as well. Wouldn’t it be nice if this level of testing was more readily available as part of mainstream medicine model BEFORE we had a problem?

Until it is, you MUST be proactive and do everything you can to determine your numbers, get a scan to see where you stand, so that you can LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE…for as long as humanly possible.

That to me is IMPACT!
Todd Durkin 

P.S. Should we have Dr. Parikh on a future episode of the IMPACT SHOW podcast on “Preventative Cardiology?”
I’m thinking of having Dr. Milind Parikh on a future episode of the Todd Durkin IMPACT SHOW podcast. This field of “Preventative Cardiology” is fascinating and Dr. Parikh is one of the leaders in this field and in the “Medicine 3.0” movement. What do you think about me having him on a future episode? Would you like to hear more from Dr. Parikh and learn more about Preventative Cardiology? If so, please LMK and I might see if I can get him on the IMPACT SHOW podcast sometime in 2025.

A huge thank you to Dr. Parikh and the amazing staff at Image One (www.Image-One.com) It really was a first class experience and I’m grateful this testing exists. We are fortunate we have it at our fingertips and it is far LESS expensive than you probably think. As a matter of fact, the investment in getting the test and what it really means to your health and life, is far less than the price of the alternative (pricing starts under $1,000!).

If you want more information on the clinic I went to, check it all out here:www.Image-One.com.

Todd Durkin is the CEO and co-founder of IMPACT-X Performance, a fitness and coaching franchise on a mission to “Be the Light” around the country. There are currently 7-locations around the U.S., with rapid growth plans for 2025. Todd is also the founder and co-owner of Fitness Quest 10, a world-class gym in San Diego, CA, that has changed lives for over 25-years. He’s a 2-Time Personal Trainer of the Year, recipient of the Jack LaLanne Award for Lifetime Achievement, International Presenter of the Year, and someone who motivates and inspires people daily through his keynote speeches, books, and podcast. Todd has authored 5-books with a 6 th book called “Coaching Greatness” due out March 21st , 2025. His weekly podcast, the Todd Durkin IMPACT SHOW, has reached over 1.5 million people and is rapidly growing.
Lastly, Todd is popular on social media and delivers daily messages on his Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Linked-In. He has been married to his wife Melanie for 23-years and they have 3-kids (Luke 22, Brady 19, and McKenna 16).