Calcifications in the abdominal artery

Introduction

Calcifications in the abdominal artery are the deposition of blood fats and waste products in the abdominal artery. These deposits calcify as a result of reaction processes in the vessel wall. In most cases, calcification of the aorta is accompanied by calcification of other vessels. Such calcifications lead to circulatory disorders and can thus cause life-threatening complications.

What causes calcification of the abdominal artery?

The causes of calcification of the abdominal aorta are manifold, most of them are related to our current lifestyle. Risk factors for these vascular calcifications are mainly high blood lipid levels. High blood pressure, chronic diseases such as diabetes (blood sugar disease) and the consumption of alcohol and nicotine also increase the risk of calcification of the abdominal aorta.

Lifestyle contributes to these risk factors, which is characterized by a lack of exercise, an excessive supply of food, especially unhealthy food, and the availability of unhealthy stimulants. All these factors can damage the blood vessels and thus contribute to the calcification of the abdominal aorta. For example, the disease diabetes leads to high sugar levels in the blood.

The sugar is then deposited on the walls of the blood vessels, along with the fat droplets that also float around in the blood due to the high blood lipid levels. The vessel wall tries to remove these deposits, but in the process reactions occur and the vessel walls calcify. This effect is intensified by high blood pressure. The blood pressure puts the vessel walls under stress and reduces their resistance.

How to diagnose calcification of the abdominal aorta

In diagnosing calcification of the abdominal aorta, risk factors and blood tests are the first things to consider. If high blood lipid values, high blood sugar levels and high blood pressure are detected, the vessels are usually examined. Here, one can first try to perform an ultrasound examination of the abdominal aorta.

If the suspicion is confirmed, an angiography is often performed, i.e. an imaging of the vessels using computed tomography. This allows conclusions about the severity of the disease and the narrowing of the vessel due to calcification. Thereafter, therapeutic decisions can be made.

In ultrasound, the calcification of the abdominal aorta can be seen especially in a strong brightening of the vessel walls. The calcification is rich in echo, i.e. it reflects many of the ultrasound waves and sends them back to the source, i.e. the transducer.

On the ultrasound image the calcification therefore appears white. Behind it there is a so-called sound shadow, i.e. a darkening of the image. In most cases, a Doppler sonography is additionally performed.

This examination measures the speed at which the blood flows in the vessel. Normally, a blue or red coloration of the vessel should appear on the screen. However, calcification causes turbulence, which appears as yellowish to white color codes. By means of these flow rates, an estimation of the restriction due to calcification can be made.