The Relation of Carotid Calcium Volume with Carotid Artery Stenosis in Symptomatic Patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Recent research showed a strong correlation of calcium volume scores with degree of stenosis, suggesting that calcium volume could be used in the diagnosis of carotid artery stenosis. We investigated the accuracy of the use of calcium volume scores to diagnose carotid artery stenosis in our target population of recently symptomatic patients.

Calcium quantity in carotid plaques: detection in panoramic radiographs and association with degree of stenosis

“…6 Studies have investigated the relationship between the quantity of carotid calcification and the degree of luminal reduction, as determined by CT examination, reporting correlations ranging from r ¼ 0.04 to r ¼ 0.65. [7][8][9][10] Correlations are slightly stronger if the total calcification amount, including both the left and right sides of the neck, is correlated to a unilateral stenosis. 7,8,10 Panoramic radiography has also shown variable quantities of calcification in carotid plaques.…”

Validation of a method for quantifying carotid artery calcification from panoramic radiographs

“…A previous study found no correlation between calcification and the degree of stenosis on the symptomatic side and a weak correlation on the asymptomatic side, 39 and the results of a recent systematic review found that symptomatic plaques have a lower degree of calcification than asymptomatic plaques. 40 For this reason, we chose to use the highest reported stenosis in examining the correlation with carotid calcification.…”

Association Between Arterial Calcifications and Nonlacunar and Lacunar Ischemic Strokes

“…13,22,23 Furthermore, extracranial carotid artery calcifications are associated with carotid artery stenosis in asymptomatic patients, but in symptomatic patients this association is less clear. [24][25][26] Moreover, calcifications can be assessed easily and quantified at MDCTA, an imaging modality increasingly used in daily clinical work-up of patients with stroke, making them a suitable and robust marker of atherosclerosis.…”