Identifying calcium is easy

Basic principle

  • HU  Hounsfield Units
    • relative quantitative measurement of radio density
      • measured by  linear attenuation coefficient for each material at the selected effective energy
      • physical density of tissue is proportional to the absorption/attenuation of the X-ray beam.
        • Densities
          • For practical purposes in the body ie approximate
            • density of calcium +50 to +500
            • density of soft tissue  +50
            • density of lung-  -700 to -800
            • density of fluid  +5to +15
            • fat  -5 to -100
            • iodinated contrast  + 100 to +500
Minor calcific and non calcified plaque
Fjellhaugen K et al Increased Prevalence of Coronary Artery Disease in Severe Psoriasis and Severe Atopic Dermatitis The American Journal of Medicine (2015) 128, 1325-1334
42 Male with atypical chest pain left main calcification and calcium score in the 90th persentile Possible fibrofatty palque in the left main
Ashley DAvidoff
TheCommonVein.net
CTA
Calcified Non Stenotic Plaque
Reconstruction of the coronary CTA shows a calcified non stenotic plaque n proximal LAD, Circumflex and RCA
Courtesy Philips Medical Systems
44157
Calcium and Fat on CT
Ashley Davidoff thecommonvein.net

 

Links and References