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Arterial Calcification on Wrist Radiographs May Suggest Need for Evaluation of Atherosclerosis in Asymptomatic

Lauren E Watchmaker1, Jennifer M Watchmaker2, Greg P Watchmaker3

  • 1University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, 750 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53726, USA.

Case Reports in Radiology
|July 30, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Peripheral arterial calcifications on hand X-rays may indicate significant coronary artery disease (CAD) risk in asymptomatic individuals. This finding suggests hand X-rays could help identify patients needing further cardiac evaluation for atherosclerosis.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Radiology
  • Vascular Medicine

Background:

  • Asymptomatic individuals with significant coronary artery disease (CAD) face risks of unexpected cardiac events like myocardial infarction (MI).
  • Current diagnostic methods for at-risk individuals include laboratory tests, stress tests, and coronary artery imaging, such as coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring.

Observation:

  • Radiographs of hands and wrists showing substantial arterial wall calcification may serve as an additional indicator for identifying at-risk asymptomatic individuals.
  • A case series identified patients without known heart disease who exhibited significant calcium deposits in radial and/or ulnar arteries on radiographs taken for hand condition evaluations.

Findings:

  • All patients in the case series were subsequently found to have coronary artery calcification on imaging.
  • These patients also presented an elevated risk for future cardiac events.

Implications:

  • The presence of peripheral arterial calcifications, as observed by radiologists and hand specialists, may signal the need for a comprehensive systemic evaluation for atherosclerosis.
  • This approach could enhance early detection and management of cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic populations.

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