Systemic Vascular Calcification After Lung Transplantation: The Role of Mammographic Breast Arterial Calcifications

Abstract

Objective: This study systematically evaluates the association between breast arterial calcifications (BACs) on mammography and systemic vascular calcifications detected by computed tomography (CT) in female lung transplant recipients, representing the first investigation of this relationship in this population. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 78 female LTX recipients who underwent both digital mammography and thoracoabdominal CT. BACs were graded on a four-point scale. Calcifications in seven arterial territories were visually assessed on CT with a binary scale (“present”, “not present”) and graded on a severity scale of systemic calcifications ranging from no involvement (0) and minor vascular calcification (1–4 vessels) to major vascular calcification (5–10 vessels). Associations between BACs and systemic vascular calcifications were analyzed using correlation, logistic regression, and ROC analysis. Results: BACs were present in 31 of 78 patients (40%). Vascular calcifications were frequent, most often affecting the thoracic aorta (82%), abdominal aorta (76%), and iliac arteries (72–73%). Coronary calcifications were more common in BAC-positive than BAC-negative patients (77% vs. 40%, p = 0.002). BAC grade correlated with the cumulative vascular calcification (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.0017). In ROC analysis, BACs discriminated patients with vascular calcification with fair accuracy (AUC 0.73, 95% CI 0.67–0.79). In multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and hypertension, BACs remained independently associated with systemic calcification, with an adjusted odds ratio of approximately 2.0 for ≥1 affected vascular territory. Interreader agreement for the 4-level BAC score was excellent with a quadratic-weighted κ of 0.91 and a linear-weighted κ of 0.88. Conclusions: BACs are common in female LTX recipients and independently predict systemic vascular calcifications. Their detection in routine mammography may provide a simple, opportunistic marker to support cardiovascular risk stratification in this high-risk population.