title: Cardiac Calcifications in Adults with Congenital Heart Defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the type and extent of calcification in a series of heart specimens from adult congenital heart disease patients because recent autopsy observations suggested a high prevalence of calcification.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used computed tomography to examine seven heart specimens from adults (>18 years old) with a congenital heart defect collected with permission from the family during a recent 3-year period. Clinical data regarding diagnosis, history, and imaging studies were recorded. The 3D data sets were reviewed after reformatting as maximum intensity projection and volumetric renderings to determine the pattern and extent of calcium deposition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five of the seven hearts had extensive calcifications in one or more of three patterns: atherosclerosis associated in the three oldest cases; surgery associated in four of five hearts that had undergone heart surgery; and myocardial calcification remote from surgical sites in two cases. Myocardial calcification was associated with regional dysfunction and was present in the three patients that died suddenly and unexpectedly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac calcification was frequent in our series of heart specimens from adults with congenital heart defects, was often but not uniformly associated with prior surgery, and, in our small series, was associated with regional dysfunction and sudden death.
authors.affiliation: Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension Service, Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA.
authors.forename: Dan G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA.
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Steigner
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass, USA.
authors.forename: Sanjay P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.affiliation: Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension Service, Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA.
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Valente
authors.affiliation: Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Pulmonary Hypertension Service, Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Pathology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass, USA.|Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Mass, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Sanders
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002118:Calcium
keywords: Adult Congenital Heart Disease; Calcifications; Myocardium; Pericardium