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Identifying Coronary Artery Calcification on Non-gated Computed Tomography Scans
Published on: August 28, 2018
Breast arterial calcifications on mammograms do not predict coronary heart disease at coronary angiography
Mohammad H Zgheib1, Shalom S Buchbinder, Nidal Abi Rafeh
1Department of Medicine, Staten Island University Hospital, 360 Seaview Ave, Staten Island, NY 10305, USA.
Insights
Breast arterial calcifications (BACs) on mammograms did not correlate with coronary heart disease (CHD) in women. Screening mammography should be used cautiously to identify patients with CHD.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Cardiology
- Women's Health
Background:
- Screening mammography is a common tool for breast cancer detection.
- Breast arterial calcifications (BACs) are sometimes observed incidentally on mammograms.
- The potential association between BACs and coronary heart disease (CHD) requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if breast arterial calcifications (BACs) detected on screening mammography correlate with the presence and severity of coronary heart disease (CHD).
- To assess the utility of mammography-detected BACs as a potential indicator for CHD in women.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 172 women who underwent coronary angiography was conducted.
- Mammograms were reviewed for BACs by a blinded specialist, and CHD status was determined.
- Statistical analyses, including t tests and logistic regression, were used to correlate BACs with CHD and cardiac risk factors.
Main Results:
- No significant correlation was found between the presence of BACs and coronary heart disease (CHD) in the study cohort (P = .40).
- BACs were associated with older age (mean age 72 years vs. 60.4 years, P < .001).
- Despite association with some cardiac risk factors, BACs did not correlate with CHD presence or severity.
Conclusions:
- The study did not find a correlation between BACs detected on screening mammography and coronary angiography-confirmed CHD.
- Caution is advised when using BACs from screening mammograms to identify women with CHD.
- Further research may be needed to understand the relationship between arterial calcifications and cardiovascular health.
Purpose:
To examine, in women who underwent cardiac catheterization, whether breast arterial calcifications (BACs) seen at screening mammography correlate with coronary heart disease (CHD) seen at coronary angiography.
Materials And Methods:
In an institutional review board-approved, HIPAA-compliant study, 172 women (mean age, 64.29 years +/- 11.97 [standard deviation]) who underwent coronary angiography were recruited, interviewed, and assigned to two groups: those with (CHD+) and those without (CHD-) CHD. The severity and location of the CHD were considered. Their mammograms were reviewed by a breast imaging specialist who was blinded to the CHD status. Student t test, chi(2), and multiple logistic regression tests were performed as appropriate. Presence of BAC was noted and correlated with presence of CHD and presence of cardiac risk factors.
Results:
There were 104 women with and 68 women without CHD. Thirty-seven (36%) women in the CHD+ group versus 20 (29%) in the CHD-group (P = .40) had BAC. The mean age of the patients with BAC, 72 years +/- 9.8, was significantly older than the mean age of the patients without BAC, 60.4 years +/- 11.1 (P < .001). Therefore, subjects were divided into those younger than 65 years and those 65 years and older. No correlation existed, despite the fact that BAC was associated with some cardiac risk factors.
Conclusion:
The authors did not observe a correlation between BAC and coronary angiography-detected CHD, even when CHD severity was considered. On the basis of these results, caution should be exercised when using screening mammography-detected BAC to identify patients with CHD.
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