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Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
04:40

Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans

Published on: August 28, 2018

Breast arterial calcifications as a cardiovascular risk marker in women

Pavel Crystal1, Julian Zelingher, Eugene Crystal

  • 1Department of Radiology, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel. pcrystal@bgumail.bgu.ac.il

Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy
|September 8, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Breast arterial calcifications found during mammograms may indicate increased cardiovascular risk. This finding, previously overlooked, could help identify women needing further heart health screening.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Radiology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease and breast cancer are leading causes of mortality in women.
  • Mammography is a standard breast cancer screening tool for women aged 40-50.
  • Breast arterial calcifications (BAC) on mammograms are often considered incidental findings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential association between BAC detected on mammograms and cardiovascular risk.
  • To determine if BAC can serve as a marker for identifying women at higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent studies examining mammographic findings and cardiovascular health.
  • Analysis of the correlation between breast arterial calcifications and established cardiovascular risk factors.
  • Evaluation of BAC as a potential indicator for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Main Results:

  • Recent research indicates a significant association between BAC and cardiovascular risk factors.
  • BAC on mammograms are linked to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
  • These calcifications are not associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.

Conclusions:

  • Breast arterial calcifications detected during routine mammography are a significant finding.
  • BAC may be a valuable indicator for identifying asymptomatic women at increased cardiovascular risk.
  • Further research is warranted to integrate BAC screening into cardiovascular risk assessment protocols.

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