title: Calcification in major vessel beds relates to vascular brain disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Calcification in atherosclerotic plaques is a novel marker of atherosclerosis and is related to cardiovascular disease. However, its relationship with cerebrovascular disease has not been investigated extensively. We investigated the relationship between calcification in various vessel beds outside the brain and imaging markers of vascular brain disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 885 community-dwelling people (mean age, 66.7 years) underwent computed tomography of the coronary arteries, aortic arch, and extracranial and intracranial carotid arteries to assess arterial calcification. Brain magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed to assess cerebral infarcts, microbleeds, and white matter lesions (WMLs). Calcification in each vessel bed was associated with presence of cerebral infarcts and with larger WML volume. The most prominent associations were found between intracranial carotid calcification and WML volume and between extracranial carotid calcification and infarcts. Adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors or ultrasound carotid plaque scores did not change these results. No associations were found between calcification and cerebral microbleeds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arterial calcification in major vessel beds is associated with vascular brain disease on magnetic resonance imaging. Most notably, larger intracranial carotid calcification load relates to larger WML volumes, and larger extracranial carotid calcification load relates to the presence of cerebral infarcts, independently of ultrasound carotid plaque score. This suggests that calcification of atherosclerotic plaque yields other information in addition to merely the presence of plaques, providing novel insights into the etiology of vascular brain disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bos
authors.forename: M Arfan
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ikram
authors.forename: Suzette E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Elias-Smale
authors.forename: Gabriel P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Krestin
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: Jacqueline C M
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Witteman
authors.forename: Aad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Lugt
authors.forename: Meike W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Vernooij
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed