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Updated: Jan 7, 2026
08:43
Calcification of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells and Imaging of Aortic Calcification and Inflammation
Published on: May 31, 2016
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Vascular Calcification Patterns in the Elderly: Correlation Between Aortic and Iliac Calcification Burden.
Maximilian Lutz1, Malik Galijasevic1, Richard A Lindtner2
1Department of Radiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 30, 2025
Summary
Vascular calcification scores in the aorta and iliac arteries strongly correlate with age. These simple CT-based methods effectively assess vascular ageing in older adults.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Radiology
Background:
- Vascular calcification is a common aspect of ageing, increasing cardiovascular disease risk.
- Assessing vascular calcification aids in understanding age-related cardiovascular changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare two rapid scoring systems for quantifying distal abdominal aorta and iliac artery calcification.
- To investigate the correlation between these calcification scores and increasing age.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of computed tomography (CT) scans from 224 patients aged ≥65 with pelvic trauma.
- Categorization into age groups (65-74, 75-84, ≥85) and assessment of abdominal aorta calcification score (AACS) and iliac artery calcification scores (CIACS, EIACS, TIACS).
Main Results:
- Calcification severity significantly increased with age across all evaluated vascular territories (p < 0.001).
- Age was the strongest adjusted predictor of calcification (β = 0.323-0.376, p < 0.001).
- Strong positive correlations were observed between aortic and iliac calcifications (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- The evaluated calcification scoring systems are strongly correlated and show clear age-dependent trends.
- These simple, CT-applicable methods offer practical tools for assessing vascular ageing.
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