Aortic and renal atherosclerotic calcifications seen on computed tomography of the spine. A positive predictor of hypertension.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to determine if there is an association between hypertension and aortic or renal atherosclerotic calcifications seen on computed tomography (CT) of the spine.


METHODS
The lumbar CTs of 93 sequential patients were evaluated without knowledge of their blood pressures. Aortic and renal atherosclerosis was graded on a scale of 0-3. The patients' charts were reviewed for the presence of hypertension and diseases that might cause hypertension.


RESULTS
Sixty-five patients had atherosclerotic calcifications. Forty-four of these were hypertensive. Logistic regression analysis revealed that calcifications in the left renal artery (P = .003), the right renal artery (P = .010) and the abdominal aorta (P = .001) are statistically significant positive predictors of hypertension. Renal artery calcifications are better predictors of hypertension than aortic calcifications.


CONCLUSIONS
Renal and abdominal aortic calcifications are significant radiographic findings in lumbar spine CT examinations and their presence should be routinely included in the radiographic report.
Moynahan
K
K
Department of Radiology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson 85724.
Yoshino
M T
MT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed