All articles tagged with #arterial calcification
A large study finds AI can read breast arterial calcification on routine mammograms to predict cardiovascular risk in women, with mild, moderate, and severe calcifications linked to 30%, 70%, and 2–3 times higher risk, respectively, suggesting screening programs could double as heart-disease risk tools.
Researchers at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands have developed a groundbreaking microscope that allows for live imaging of biological processes at the nanoscale, overcoming previous limitations of either frozen or low-detail observations. This technique uses graphene to protect samples from electron beam damage, enabling detailed visualization of processes like arterial calcification. The innovation could lead to new insights into diseases and treatments, such as developing a 'heart valve on a chip' to study calcification.
A drug used to treat certain bone diseases, etidronate, has shown promise in slowing the progression of ACDC disease, a rare genetic condition that causes excessive calcium buildup in the arteries. The first-in-human clinical trial, supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, found that the drug appeared safe and slowed the progression of new calcium deposits in the blood vessels of the legs, as well as improved symptoms such as pain and motion impairment. While it did not reverse existing calcium deposits or show clear improvement in blood flow, the study could lead to the first effective treatment for this rare disease and shed light on other diseases involving excessive calcium buildup in the arteries.