RecognizingAbdominalCalcifications
© William Herring, MD, FACR
Two questions
What pattern of calcification is it?
See next several slides
What organ or structure corresponds tothe anatomic location for that particularkind of calcification?
Abdominal CalcificationsPatterns
Abdominal calcifications produceone of four major patterns:
Rim-like
Linear or track-like
Lamellar
Cloudlike
Rim-like
Wall of a hollow viscus
Cysts
Renal cyst
Aneurysms
Aortic aneurysm
Saccular organs e.g. GB
Porcelain Gallbladder
Renal Cyst
Gallbladder Wall
Rim-like calcifications - examples
Linear or Track-like
Walls of a tube
Ureters
Arterial walls
Atherosclerosis
Calcification Vas Deferens
Track-like calcifications - examples
Lamellar or Laminar
Formed in lumen of a hollow viscus
Renal stones
Gallstones
Bladder stones
Stone in Urinary bladder
Staghorn Calculi in Renal Pelves
Laminar calcifications - examples
Cloudlike, Amorphous, Popcorn
Formed in a solid organ or tumor
Leiomyomas of uterus
Ovarian cystadenomas
Nephrocalcinosis
Myomatous Uterus
Amorphous or cloudlike calcifications - examples
Take Home Points
Rim-like calcifications form in the wall of ahollow viscous
Liner or track-like calcifications form in thewall of a tubular structure
Laminar or lamellar calcifications form inthe lumen of a hollow viscous
Popcorn, amorphous or cloud-likecalcifications form in solid organ or tumor
Identify these abdominalcalcifications
Answer follows on slide after question
Quiz
Right Upper Quadrant
Rim-like
Track-like
Laminar
Amorphous
Answer on next slide
What kind of calcification is this and what might it be?
Rim-like
This is a rim-likecalcification implyingcalcification in the wallof a hollow viscus.Since this is the RUQ,the gallbladder is themost likely organ. Thisis called a “porcelaingallbladder” because ofthe gross appearanceof the calcification.
Gallbladder wall
Left Upper Quadrant
Rim-like
Track-like
Laminar
Amorphous
What kind of calcification is this and what might it be?
Answer on next slide
Amorphous
This is amorphous orcloud-likecalcification. Thatimplies calcification ina solid organ or tumor.In the left upperquadrant the organwith this shape is thepancreas. This iscalcification in chronicpancreatitis.
Chronic Pancreatitis
Right Upper Quadrant
Rim-like
Track-like
Laminar
Amorphous
What kind of calcification is this and what might it be?
Answer on next slide
Laminar
These are laminar orlamellated calcifications.This implies they formedwithin a hollow viscous.In the right upperquadrant, that hollowviscus is usually thegallbladder. These aregallstones.
Gallstones
Left Upper Quadrant
Rim-like
Track-like
Laminar
Amorphous
What kind of calcification is this and what might it be?
Answer on next slide
Track-like
This is track-likecalcification whichimpliescalcification in thewall of a tubularstructure like anartery or the ureter.In the LUQ, thisserpiginous tubularstructure is thesplenic artery,calcified andtortuous fromatherosclerosis.
Splenic artery
Congratulations, You Graduate
You knowyourabdominalcalcifications