Radiation Semiotics of Calcinates in the Projection of Extracranial Sections of Brachiocephalic Arteries Revealed by Digital Fluorography

Abstract

The article aims to determine the diagnostic significance of calcinates in the projection of extracranial sections of the brachiocephalic arteries (BCA) identified by preventive digital fluorography. Digital fluorograms of 327 patients over 50 years of age were analyzed, with special attention paid to the description of the soft tissues of the neck in the projection of BCA. All patients with identified calcinates underwent ultrasound dopplerography of extracranial parts of the BCA. In a detailed analysis of digital fluorograms in 31 patients, calcinates in the BCA projection were visualized in the images. They had different saturation, configuration and length. In 61,3 % of cases, the presence of atherosclerotic calcified brachiocephalic arteries was confirmed by ultrasound dopplerography of extracranial BCA. Signs of hemodynamically significant stenosing atherosclerosis of brachiocephalic arteries with local stenosis up to 80 % were revealed in 17 patients. It is concluded that the use of this method is quite applicable for early diagnosis of asymptomatic atherosclerosis of extracranial sentions of BCA. The high diagnostic significance of calcinates visualized in the projection of brachiocephalic arteries was revealed.