CIN '2007 - 4o CONGRESSO DE NEFROLOGIA NA INTERNET
Techniques and Technologies to assess vascular calcification
Dr. Antonio Bellasi
University of Milan, San Paolo Hospital, Milano
Abstract
A number of non-invasive imaging techniques are now available to detect and quantify vascular calcification (VC). Indeed, plain x-rays of abdomen and extremities to identify macroscopic calcifications of aorta and peripheral arteries;(1-3) echocardiography for assessment of valvular calcification;(4, 5) 2D-unltrasound for calcification of carotid arteries, femoral arteries and aorta(6) and computed tomography technologies constitute the current armamentarium for detection and quantification of coronary artery and aorta calcification. Some of these modalities are also useful to monitor calcification progression and to assess the effect of different therapeutic strategies directed at modifying calcification progression.(7, 8) In this brief lecture are revised strengths and limitations of the most common non-invasive techniques employed to image of vascular calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).Comments: