Radiographically Detectable Soft Tissue Calcification in Chronic Renal Failure

Abstract

Soft tissue calcification is known to occur in association with chronic renal failure. This soft tissue calcification is frequently recognized microscopically, but infrequently identified radiographically. This paper reviews the role of chronic renal failure in soft tissue calcification and presents three case histories of chronic renal failure in dogs in which soft tissue calcification of the stomach, kidneys, and footpads was detected radiographically. In all three dogs, gastric‐wall mineralization was visible radiographically as thin, linear, mineralized densities. Renal mineralization was seen radiographically in two of the dogs. One of the dogs had nodular mineral deposits in the footpads of all feet. Although microscopy confirmed the soft tissue calcification of these and other structures, there was poor correlation between microscopic and radiographic degrees of visceral soft tissue calcification. There was also poor correlation between the degree of calcium and phosphate imbalance and the extent of radiographic evidence of soft tissue calcification.

Imaging Diagnosis: Mineralization of the Aorta, Celiac and Cranial Mesenteric Arteries in a Cat With Chronic Renal Failure

“…Metastatic soft tissue mineralization commonly occurs in the stomach, lungs, kidneys, heart, and arteries. 2,4 In our patient, the altered calcium-phosphate metabolism was likely because of chronic renal failure. Other considerations are vitamin D toxicosis, primary hyperparathyroidism, and hypercalcemia of malignancy.…”

“…Soft tissue metastatic mineralization has been reported in dogs and cats with chronic renal failure and is often because of hyperphosphatemia and renal secondary hyperparathyroidism. Metastatic soft tissue mineralization commonly occurs in the stomach, lungs, kidneys, heart, and arteries 2,4 …”

“…Soft tissue (ectopic) mineralization is categorized as dystrophic, metastatic, or idiopathic. [2][3][4][5] Metastatic soft tissue mineralization refers to the deposition of calcium salts in normal tissues in response to elevation of serum phosphorus, calcium, or both, especially if the product of the calcium concentration multiplied by the phosphorus concentration is greater than 70. 6 The product of the calcium and phosphorus concentrations in our patient was elevated at 133.…”

Computed Tomographic and Radiographic Characteristics of Aortic Lesions in 42 Dogs With Spirocercosis

“…Aortic valve, aortic bulb, ascending aortic, and initial descending aortic mineralizations have been reported as rare incidental findings in older large breed dogs, often associated with coronary artery mineralization . Mineralization of the caudal aorta has been associated with an arteriosclerotic lesion, chronic renal insufficiency, hypervitaminosis D, and idiopathic causes in dogs . Ascending aortic mineralization has also been associated with chronic septic necrotizing endarteritis with secondary perforation and hemopericardium in a dog .…”