The prevalence and clinical significance of coronary artery calcification in cardiac catheterization

Abstract EN

Objective: To determine the prevalence of coronary artery calcification, its pattern of distribution, relative frequency in each coronary artery and its association with coronary artery stenosis.

Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted in Queen Alia Heart Institute in Amman-Jordan in the period between 2012 and 2015.

A total number of 1137 adult patients who had coronary angiography were reviewed looking for coronary calcification, its frequency according to gender, age and distribution.

Calcification was diagnosed as radiopacities within the vessel wall seen during selective coronary angiogram.

Results: The total numbers of angiography reviewed were 1137.

Coronary calcification was diagnosed in 111 patients, most of them were males, left anterior descending artery was the commonest artery involved, isolated calcification of right coronary artery and circumflex artery was rare, obstructive coronary artery disease was highly associated with coronary artery calcifications.

Conclusion: Coronary artery calcification is highly associated with coronary artery stenosis, it may be seen in any part of the coronary circulation, Left Anterior Descending was most commonly affected, it was usually seen in proximal segments and was found in 10% of population, with male gender being the majority.