Cardiac Calcifications

Excerpt

Cardiac calcification is a broad term that refers to calcium deposits in the heart valves, coronary arteries, myocardium, and pericardium. There is a unique significance of these calcifications in each of these cardiac areas. While coronary artery calcifications can help risk-stratify intermediate-risk patients into low or high risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), calcifications of valves lead to narrowing of the valve causing stenosis and flow abnormalities and hence symptoms from valve narrowing. Pericardial calcifications may indicate constrictive pericarditis, while myocardial calcification can be a result of previous global myocardial injury (or infarction). When dense and heavy, calcifications can be detected by chest x-rays. However, a more dedicated study such as computed tomogram (CT) for myocardial and pericardial calcifications, cardiac computed tomogram angiogram (CCTA) for coronary artery calcifications (CAC), and echocardiogram for valvular calcifications are more specific studies.