title: Computed tomography of aortic wall calcifications in aortic dissection patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the frequency of aortic calcifications at the outer edge of the false lumen and the frequency of fully circular aortic calcifications in a consecutive series of patients with aortic dissection who underwent contrast-enhanced CT.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population compromised of 69 consecutive subjects aged 60 years and older with a contrast-enhanced CT scan demonstrating an aortic dissection. All CT scans were evaluated for the frequency of aortic calcifications at the outer edge of the false lumen and the frequency of fully circular aortic calcifications by two experienced observers. Between observer reliability was evaluated by using Cohen's Kappa. Differences between groups were tested using unpaired T test and Chi-square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Presumed media calcifications were observed in 22 (32%) patients of 60 years and older and were found more frequently in chronic aortic dissection (N = 12/23, 52%) than in acute aortic dissection (N = 10/46, 22%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As the intima has been torn away by the aortic dissection it is highly likely that CT scans can visualize the calcifications in the tunica media of the aorta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Pim A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willem E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Hellings
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Richard A P
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Takx
authors.affiliation: Images Sciences Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Išgum
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Joost A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: van Herwaarden
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Willem P Th M
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Mali
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001011:Aorta / Q000473:pathology*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001027:Aortography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*