Association between Cystic Fibrosis and Pericardial Calcification Detected at Chest CT in Adults

Background Although pericardial calcification has been observed on chest CT scans in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), its prevalence and characteristics have not been elucidated. Purpose To determine the prevalence and characteristics of pericardial calcification, and identify clinical variables associated with it, in adult patients with CF and to compare this prevalence with that in individuals without CF. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective, single-center case-control study including consecutive patients with CF who underwent chest CT between January 2021 and December 2022. Control group 1 included individuals without CF matched for age and sex. Control group 2 included individuals with previous Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and no concomitant diagnosis of CF matched for sex. Control group 3 included patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations of pericardial calcification were performed. The χ² test and Fisher exact test were used for comparisons of categorical variables; the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for comparisons of continuous variables. Results Of the 348 adult patients with CF (mean age, 35 years ± 13 [SD]; 193 [55%] male patients), 62 (18%) had pericardial calcification at CT. The prevalence of pericardial calcification was 1% (four of 348) in control group 1, 2% (two of 100) in control group 2, and 4% (one of 24) in control group 3 (P < .001). Pericardial calcification developed de novo in 66% (41 of 62) and progressed in 21% (13 of 62) of patients with CF. The distribution of pericardial calcification in patients with CF was most frequently multifocal (58%; 36 of 62). The median calcium score of pericardial calcification was 65 (IQR, 28-375). In patients with CF, older age, lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second, higher vitamin D level, and a higher prevalence of Burkholderia cenocepacia ET12 infection were associated with pericardial calcification. Conclusion Pericardial calcification was more prevalent in adult patients with CF than in individuals without CF and progressed over time in some patients. © RSNA, 2025 Supplemental material is available for this article.