Calcification on chest radiographs: the association with age

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Gerontology
• Cardiovascular Imaging

Background:

• Age-related physiological changes can lead to calcification in various tissues.
• Understanding the prevalence and distribution of calcific deposits is crucial for assessing cardiovascular and overall health in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and distribution of calcific changes in different anatomical sites of the chest using radiographs.
• To analyze the relationship between age, sex, and the occurrence of specific types of calcification.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 700 chest radiographs from a general hospital population.
• Radiographs were stratified by decade of life (3rd to 9th) and sex (50 men, 50 women per decade).
• Systematic examination for the presence and location of calcific changes in costal cartilage, aorta, pleura, pericardium, trachea, myocardium, and diaphragm.

Main Results:

• Costal cartilage calcification prevalence rose from 6% in the 3rd decade to 45% in the 9th, being more common in men.
• Aortic calcification, absent before age 50, increased from 4% in the 6th decade to 57% in the 9th.
• Calcification in other sites (pleural, pericardial, tracheal, myocardial, diaphragmatic) was observed only in individuals over 70 years old.

Conclusions:

• Both costal cartilage and aortic calcification show a significant age-dependent increase, with sex-based differences noted in costal cartilage calcification.
• The study highlights the high prevalence of age-related vascular and cartilaginous calcification in older adults.
• Specific calcific deposits in the pleura, pericardium, trachea, myocardium, and diaphragm are predominantly found in the elderly.