Biological, Radiological, and Clinical Significance of Spotty Calcification in Coronary Artery Disease: A State-of-the-Art Review - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #plaque vulnerability
- #spotty calcification
- #coronary artery disease
- Spotty calcification is a marker of microcalcification in coronary artery plaques, visible on imaging like computed tomography.
- Two hypotheses exist: spotty calcification as a passive indicator of unstable plaque or an active catalyst of plaque vulnerability.
- Radiologic characterization has evolved, with imaging modalities showing accuracy in identifying spotty calcification.
- Spotty calcification is linked to plaque instability and is more frequent in culprit lesions causing acute coronary syndrome.
- Medications like statins, metformin, and omega-3 fatty acids have been explored for their impact on spotty calcification.
- The field lacks standardized definitions, which could enhance the clinical utility of spotty calcification.
- This paper reviews spotty calcification as a unique plaque phenotype, its radiologic characteristics, and clinical relevance as a marker of vulnerable coronary artery disease.
- The review includes a systematic analysis and meta-analysis where possible to address key questions.