Intracranial Internal Carotid Artery Calcifications: Association with Vascular Risk Factors and

A. van der Lugt BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Atherosclerotic calcifications are present not only in the extracranial carotid bifurcation but also in the intracranial part of the internal carotid artery. We assessed the association between intracranial internal carotid artery calcifications and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular disease and the association between calcifications and the presence of this disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing multidetector CT (MDCT) angiography of the carotid arteries for assessment of stenosis degree were included in the study. A semiautomatic custom-made system to quantify calcifications was developed. The associations between the volume of calcifica-tions and cardiovascular risk factors and the type of ischemic cerebrovascular symptoms were assessed with logistic regression. RESULTS: MDCT angiography was performed in 406 patients (age, 62 14 years; 242 men). Men had a significantly higher calcification volume (66 mm3) than women (33 mm3). Calcification volume was positively associated with age in both men and women. Smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and a history of cardiac disease were independently related to the presence of calcifications. A history of cardia