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Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
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Techniques and technologies to assess vascular calcification

Antonio Bellasi1, Paolo Raggi

  • 1Department of Nephrology, Ospedale San Paolo, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

Seminars in Dialysis
|March 22, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Cardiovascular calcification is common in advanced chronic kidney disease and linked to higher mortality. This review details noninvasive imaging techniques for detecting and monitoring vascular calcification.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Cardiology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular calcification (CV) is highly prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage V.
  • CV is associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in CKD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the strengths and limitations of noninvasive imaging techniques for cardiovascular calcification.
  • To discuss modalities for screening, monitoring progression, and assessing therapeutic effects on CV.

Main Methods:

  • Review of common noninvasive imaging modalities for cardiovascular calcification.
  • Includes plain x-rays, echocardiography, 2D ultrasound, and computed tomography (CT).

Main Results:

  • Plain x-rays detect macroscopic calcifications.
  • Echocardiography assesses valvular calcification.
  • Ultrasound visualizes carotid, femoral, and aortic calcification.
  • CT is the gold standard for coronary artery and aorta calcification quantification.

Conclusions:

  • Various noninvasive techniques exist for imaging cardiovascular calcification in CKD.
  • These methods aid in screening, monitoring progression, and evaluating treatment efficacy.

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