title: Aortic Root Calcification: A Possible Imaging Biomarker of Coronary Atherosclerosis.
abstract: It has been reported that coronary atherosclerosis risk assessment using coronary artery calcium and thoracic aorta calcium quantification may improve risk stratification as it can lead to the reclassification of persons at increased risk. The aortic root has been characterized by its close anatomical proximity to the ostial origins of the right and left coronary arteries, and it can be evaluated using multi-detector computed tomography without additional radiation exposure and the use of contrast. The correlations between aortic root calcification and coronary atherosclerotic markers as well as cardiac risk factors have been analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine Department, AL-Sader Teaching Hospital, Medicine College, Kufa University, Najaf, Iraq.
authors.forename: Hussein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nafakhi
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Medicine College, Kufa University, Najaf, Iraq.
authors.forename: Hasan A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Al-Nafakh
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Medicine College, Kufa University, Najaf, Iraq.
authors.forename: Abdulameer A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Mosawi
keywords: Coronary artery calcification; Coronary computed tomographic angiography