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What Does This CT Scan Report Indicate?
Question: I am a 63 year old caucasian male who just had a CT of my lung for my 2 year follow up of a solitary 8x8mm nodule, which has been deemed stable and is "most consistent post inflammatory parenchymal scarring". In the report the radiologist also mentioned that "there is dense mitral annulus calcification". In 2007 I had a mitral valve repair at which time an Edwards LifeScience annular ring was implanted. The radiologist was not aware of this. Since the mitral valve repair I have had regular check-ups with my cardiologist, the most recent being 2 weeks ago. I have had no murmurs, regular echocardiograms, stress tests an even a recent nuclear stress test all of which were negative. I have no other cardiac risk factors. Is the implanted annular ring the most probable cause for what the radiologist is calling "dense mitral calcification'?
Brief Answer:
Dense mitral calcification seems to be mostly due to mitral anulus implant.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome on HCM!
I passed carefully through your medical history and would like to explain that mitral annulus calcification may not rarely be seen in the adults of your age.
A mitral annular ring implant may perfectly mimic the mitral annular calcification intensity on CT scan imagine.
Whether previously mitral annular calcification had been coexisted, may be clarified by the echocardiogram reports performed previous the Edwards annular ring implantation.
Nevertheless, I would like to assure you that as far as your mitral valve has a normal function (there is no mitral regurgitation or stenosis), you shouldn't worry about it. This mitral annular calcification pattern on CT scan, represents a trivial clinical significance.
So just relax and do not worry about it!
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
In case of any further uncertainties, feel free to ask me again.
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Dense mitral calcification seems to be mostly due to mitral anulus implant.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Welcome on HCM!
I passed carefully through your medical history and would like to explain that mitral annulus calcification may not rarely be seen in the adults of your age.
A mitral annular ring implant may perfectly mimic the mitral annular calcification intensity on CT scan imagine.
Whether previously mitral annular calcification had been coexisted, may be clarified by the echocardiogram reports performed previous the Edwards annular ring implantation.
Nevertheless, I would like to assure you that as far as your mitral valve has a normal function (there is no mitral regurgitation or stenosis), you shouldn't worry about it. This mitral annular calcification pattern on CT scan, represents a trivial clinical significance.
So just relax and do not worry about it!
Hope you will find this answer helpful!
In case of any further uncertainties, feel free to ask me again.
Kind regards,
Dr. Iliri
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I am positive there was no previous annular calcification prior to the placement of the implant. Would a CT scan be able to distinguish between coexisted calcification and the implant? Also, it was reported on a CT scan which was done 2 years ago for a urinary tract infection that there was an incidental finding which stated " coronary calcifications noted" in addition to the 8mm x 8mm pulmonary nodule, which led to these series of scans. I am now wondering if perhaps the radiologist also inadvertantly "saw" a portion of this implant on the scan and reported it as a calcification. I had a calcium scoring done in 2005 prior to my MV repair which was done in 2007 and at that time my score was 0.
Brief Answer:
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
As I explained you before, in the first part of our thread, it is very likely that the radiological pattern described by the radiologist as mitral annular calcification may be in fact due to mitral annular implant.
The composite of annular implant supporting sutures may perfectly mimic calcifications.
Calcifications and the annular implant are of a similar density.
CT scan mechanism is to differ different structures by their density. That is why structures with the same density have similar images. From the other hand it can not differentiate old from new calcifications.
Anyway, you should know that this radiological pattern has no influence in the quality of your life!
So relax and do not worry about it!
Hope to have clarified some of your uncertainties!
Greetings!
Dr. Iliri
I would explain as follows:
Detailed Answer:
Hello again!
As I explained you before, in the first part of our thread, it is very likely that the radiological pattern described by the radiologist as mitral annular calcification may be in fact due to mitral annular implant.
The composite of annular implant supporting sutures may perfectly mimic calcifications.
Calcifications and the annular implant are of a similar density.
CT scan mechanism is to differ different structures by their density. That is why structures with the same density have similar images. From the other hand it can not differentiate old from new calcifications.
Anyway, you should know that this radiological pattern has no influence in the quality of your life!
So relax and do not worry about it!
Hope to have clarified some of your uncertainties!
Greetings!
Dr. Iliri
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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