Breast Arterial Calcifications on Mammograms Do Not Predict Coronary Heart Disease at Coronary Angiography

• Published in: Radiology Vol. 254; no. 2; pp. 367 - 373
• Main Authors: ZGHEIB, Mohammad H, BUCHBINDER, Shalom S, CASTELLANOS, Mario R, NIDAL ABI RAFEH, ELYA, Marwan, RAIA, Carolyn, AHERN, Kathleen, SMITH, Marianne C, COSTANTINO, Thomas, FLORY, Michael J, LAFFERTY, James C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oak Brook, IL Radiological Society of North America 01-02-2010
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Breast - blood supply; Breast - pathology; Calcinosis - diagnostic imaging; Cardiac Catheterization; Cardiology. Vascular system; Chi-Square Distribution; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Disease - diagnostic imaging; Coronary heart disease; Female; Heart; Humans; Logistic Models; Mammography; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Sample Size; Severity of Illness Index; Human; Radiodiagnosis; Cardiovascular disease; Mammography; Malignant tumor; Coronary arteriography; Medical screening; Coronary heart disease; Artery; Vascular disease; Risk factor; Calcification; Breast; Female; Mammary gland; Woman; Cancer
• ISSN: 0033-8419; 1527-1315
• DOI: 10.1148/radiol.09090102

To examine, in women who underwent cardiac catheterization, whether breast arterial calcifications (BACs) seen at screening mammography correlate with coronary heart disease (CHD) seen at coronary angiography.
In an institutional review board-approved, HIPAA-compliant study, 172 women (mean age, 64.29 years +/- 11.97 [standard deviation]) who underwent coronary angiography were recruited, interviewed, and assigned to two groups: those with (CHD+) and those without (CHD-) CHD. The severity and location of the CHD were considered. Their mammograms were reviewed by a breast imaging specialist who was blinded to the CHD status. Student t test, chi(2), and multiple logistic regression tests were performed as appropriate. Presence of BAC was noted and correlated with presence of CHD and presence of cardiac risk factors.
There were 104 women with and 68 women without CHD. Thirty-seven (36%) women in the CHD+ group versus 20 (29%) in the CHD-group (P = .40) had BAC. The mean age of the patients with BAC, 72 years +/- 9.8, was significantly older than the mean age of the patients without BAC, 60.4 years +/- 11.1 (P < .001). Therefore, subjects were divided into those younger than 65 years and those 65 years and older. No correlation existed, despite the fact that BAC was associated with some cardiac risk factors.
The authors did not observe a correlation between BAC and coronary angiography-detected CHD, even when CHD severity was considered. On the basis of these results, caution should be exercised when using screening mammography-detected BAC to identify patients with CHD.