title: Do carotid atheromas on panoramic images prognosticate arterial calcifications on mammograms: acknowledged markers of future adverse cardiovascular events?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between calcified carotid artery plaque (CCAP) on panoramic images and breast arterial calcifications (BAC) on mammograms, a validated independent risk indicator of fatal myocardial infarctions and strokes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women ≥55 years old having CCAP diagnosed by their dentists had their mammograms evaluated for BAC by a physician. Other study variables were age, ethnicity, body mass index, and medications for hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Descriptive and bivariate statistics and logistic regression were computed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Researchers identified 40 women (mean age 62.2 ± 6.2 years old) with CCAP, of whom 9 (prevalence rate 22.5%) also had BAC. The women with BAC tended to be older (65.1 vs 61.3 years old), more frequently hypertensive (100% vs 80.6%), and more frequently black than those without BAC, although these differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.10).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CCAP on panoramic images of women is unrelated to the presence of BAC on mammograms.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA. arthur.friedlander@va.gov
authors.forename: Arthur H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Friedlander
authors.forename: Tina I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Prem K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chantra
authors.forename: Nona
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aghazadehsanai
authors.forename: Nancy D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Neal R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Garrett
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001940:Breast / Q000098:blood supply; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015995:Prevalence; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*