Breast Arterial Calcification in Screening Mammograms and its Correlation with Carotid Intima Media Thickness: A Cross-sectional Study
Introduction: Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of cardiovascular mortality worldwide. According to American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines, screening mammography is optional for all women above the age of 40 years to detect breast cancer early. Incidentally, Breast Arterial Calcification (BAC...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited
2023-09-01
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Series: | Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.jcdr.net/articles/PDF/18450/63071_CE[Ra1]_F(SS)_QC(KK_OM)_PF1(VD_KM)_PFA(KM)_PB(VD_OM)_PN(KM).pdf |
Summary: | Introduction: Atherosclerosis is a leading cause of cardiovascular
mortality worldwide. According to American Cancer Society
(ACS) guidelines, screening mammography is optional for all
women above the age of 40 years to detect breast cancer early.
Incidentally, Breast Arterial Calcification (BAC) can be observed
in mammograms. Women with BAC and additional risk factors
like diabetes or hypertension may be referred for cardiovascular
risk assessment in the future if there is a significant correlation
between Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT) and BAC.
Aim: To assess BAC among women undergoing screening
mammography and determine the correlation between BAC
and CIMT.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted
on 152 women who underwent screening mammography in
the Department of Radiodiagnosis, Amala Institute of Medical
Sciences, Thrissur, Kerala, India from May 2021 to October 2022.
The presence and grading of BAC were determined using the
Seimens Mammomat 1000 mammography unit, which captured
two standard views: the Mediolateral Oblique (MLO) and
Craniocaudal (CC) views. CIMT was measured using B-mode
ultrasonography with an 8-13 MHz linear transducer, taking
measurements from two contiguous sites at 1 cm intervals and
calculating the average. Statistical significance was assessed
at a 5% level, and the association was determined using
Spearman’s rho correlation.
Results: The mean age of the study population was 55.7±11.05
years. Among them, only 37 (24.3%) showed the presence
of calcification in the breast arteries. The mean CIMT was
0.92±0.25 mm in the BAC (+) group and 0.72±0.24 mm in the
BAC (-) group (p-value=0.001).
Conclusion: The authors developed a BAC grading method
after studying various previous studies and the present study
found a significant positive correlation between the presence of
BAC and CIMT |
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ISSN: | 2249-782X 0973-709X |