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Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
Prevalence and distribution of vascular calcifications at CT scan in patients with and without large vessel
Giulia Besutti1,2, Chiara Marvisi3,4, Pamela Mancuso5
1Radiology Unit, Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Laboratory Medicine, Azienda USL - IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
Insights
Large vessel vasculitis (LVV) patients show increased thoracic artery calcifications compared to lymphoma patients. Coronary and abdominal artery calcifications were similar between groups, with older non-LVV patients having more coronary calcification.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Imaging
- Rheumatology
- Oncology
Background:
- Large vessel vasculitis (LVV) is an inflammatory condition affecting major arteries.
- Arterial calcification is a common finding in various conditions, but its association with LVV requires further investigation.
- Understanding calcification patterns in LVV can aid in diagnosis and risk stratification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare arterial wall calcifications in patients with large vessel vasculitis (LVV) versus lymphoma patients.
- To evaluate the prevalence, entity, and distribution of arterial calcifications in LVV.
- To identify differences in calcification patterns between LVV and non-LVV populations.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of CT scans from 266 patients (LVV and matched lymphoma controls).
- Semiautomated quantification of vascular calcifications (Agatston and volume scores) in coronary, thoracic, and abdominal arteries.
- Analysis adjusted for age, sex, and year of diagnosis.
Main Results:
- Thoracic artery calcifications were significantly more prevalent and extensive in LVV patients (OR 4.13, p=0.013).
- Abdominal artery calcifications showed similar distribution in both groups.
- In patients over 50, non-LVV patients exhibited greater coronary artery calcification volume (p=0.027).
Conclusions:
- Large vessel vasculitis is associated with increased calcification in thoracic arteries.
- Coronary and abdominal artery calcification patterns do not significantly differ between LVV and lymphoma patients.
- Age influences coronary calcification, with older non-LVV patients showing higher burden.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence, entity and local distribution of arterial wall calcifications evaluated on CT scans in patients with large vessel vasculitis (LVV) and patients with lymphoma as reference for the population without LVV.
Methods:
All consecutive patients diagnosed with LVVs with available baseline positron emission tomography-CT (PET-CT) scan performed between 2007 and 2019 were included; non-LVV patients were lymphoma patients matched by age (±5 years), sex and year of baseline PET-CT (≤2013; >2013). CT images derived from baseline PET-CT scans of both patient groups were retrospectively reviewed by a single radiologist who, after setting a threshold of minimum 130 Hounsfield units, semiautomatically computed vascular calcifications in three separate locations (coronaries, thoracic and abdominal arteries), quantified as Agatston and volume scores.
Results:
A total of 266 patients were included. Abdominal artery calcifications were equally distributed (mean volume 3220 in LVVs and 2712 in lymphomas). Being in the LVVs group was associated with the presence of thoracic calcifications after adjusting by age and year of diagnosis (OR 4.13, 95% CI 1.35 to 12.66; p=0.013). Similarly, LVVs group was significantly associated with the volume score in the thoracic arteries (p=0.048). In patients >50 years old, calcifications in the coronaries were more extended in non-LVV patients (p=0.027 for volume).
Conclusion:
When compared with patients without LVVs, LVVs patients have higher calcifications in the thoracic arteries, but not in coronary and abdominal arteries.
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