Calcification on Chest Radiographs: The Association with Age

Abstract

Seven hundred chest radiographs taken in a general hospital were reviewed, 100 (50 men and 50 women) from each of seven decades (3rd to 9th). Each radiograph was examined to determine the site and extent of calcific changes. Prevalence of costal cartilage calcification increased from 6% in the 3rd decade to 45% in the 9th and was commoner in men. Aortic calcification was absent below age 50 and increased from 4% in the 6th decade to 57% in the 9th. Both these trends were statistically significant. Other sites of calcification were found only in patients aged over 70; these included pleural, pericardial, tracheal, myocardial and diaphragmatic calcification.

A Study of Calcification of Costal Cartilages (1st To 7th) In Different Age Groups and Its Effect on Chest Expansion in Both Male and Female

“…Exertional dyspnea in elderly people can occur due to this cause. Apart from the age group of 41-50 years, males are affected more than females in all age groups which is consistent with findings of Charles Teale (1989) [6]. King JB (1939) observed that calcification of costal cartilages is rare before age of twenty and occur with advancing age which is observed more frequently and more extensively in costal cartilage of first rib than others and established that the condition begins at an earlier age in the male sex.…”

“…He examined each radiograph to determine the site and extent of calcific changes in costal cartilages. He observed that prevalence of costal cartilage calcification increased from 6% in the 3 rd decade to 45% in the 9 th decade and was commoner in men [6]. Barchilor V (1996) studied the extent of costochondral ossification of the first rib from 78 chest radiographs of 13 healthy male soldiers subjected to a periodic follow-up.…”

“…Costal cartilages are prone to calcification after adolescence [5]. Prevalence of costal cartilage calcification increases with age from about 6% in 3rd decade of life to 45% in 9th decade of life [6]. Radiographic examination of costal cartilages is useful and convenient for estimating age and sex of an individual.…”

Sexual dimorphism of ossified costal cartilage. Radiograph scan study on Caucasian men and women (Czech population)

“…Permanent cartilages almost never calcify and ossify, or if they do their ossification is incomplete and occurs at the end of adolescence or under pathological conditions [1][2][3][4]. The costal cartilages are invisible on radiograph images unless they are calcified or ossified.…”

“…The occurrence of calcificated costal cartilages has been investigated by many authors in the last century. Authors have attempted to correlate costal cartilage calcification with arteriosclerosis, infections (especially tuberculosis), mineral metabolism and nutrition [1,2,[5][6][7] genetical, physical and kinetic breathing factors and also ethnical factors were studied [8][9][10][11]. The results of these studies are uncertain and unconvincing, with the exception of linking ossification with genetic influences.…”