Detection of calcified arteries in breast tissue by vibro-acoustography: implications on diagnosis of coronary artery diseases

The relationship between breast arterial calcification and coronary artery calcification and stenosis is currently an area of active research. It has been suggested in the literature that calcified arteries in the breast may be positively correlated with coronary artery disease. The efficacy of x-ray mammography, the main breast imaging method, is generally reduced in radiologically dense breasts. In a recent study, we have shown that vibro-acoustography (VA), a novel noninvasive imaging technique that is based on the dynamic response of the object to a vibrating force, can detect microcalcifications in breast regardless of breast density. Here, we study application of VA in detecting calcified arteries in breast tissue. Initial mammogram images clearly showed 14 calcified arteries. The corresponding VA images showed all calcified arteries as fragmented linear structures. The VA appearance of the arteries highly correlated with their distinctive x-ray appearances, which allowed us to identify all of the calcified arteries in excised breast tissue. This method may eventually play a role in identifying individuals with an increased risk of coronary artery disease.