title: Evaluation of the heart and great vessel calcification by conventional computed tomography in hemodialysis patients.
abstract: Heart diseases are responsible for death in hemodialysis patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether we can assess the degree of calcification of the heart and great vessels in hemodialysis patients by non-gated conventional computed tomography (CT) without contrast media. Thirty patients were included in the present study. The hemodialysis group comprised 15 patients and the age-matched control group comprised 15 patients without hemodialysis or cardiac diseases who underwent CT scanning. Axial cross-sectional images were taken from the aortic arch to the diaphragm to detect calcification of the aorta and coronary arteries. Eleven patients in the hemodialysis group showed calcification in 1.9 +/- 1.4 coronary vessels, a frequency significantly greater than that of the 0.3 +/- 0.2 coronary vessels in the control group (p < 0.01). Fourteen patients in the hemodialysis group showed calcification of the aorta with a mean score 9.7 +/- 7.2, significantly greater than mean score in the control group (3.5 +/- 2.2; p < 0.01). These results suggest that we can assess an increase in the incidence of calcification of the coronary arteries and the aorta by conventional CT scanning without contrast media in patients undergoing hemodialysis.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Koto Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Eiji
authors: E
authors: Tamiya
authors: Kiyoshi
authors: K
authors: Inoue
authors: Miho
authors: M
authors: Nishitani
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Daida
authors: Hikaru
authors: H
authors: Koide
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001027:Aortography; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D015898:Tomography Scanners, X-Ray Computed