William Herring, M.D.

© 2002

Recognizing
Abdominal
Calcifications

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Two questions

 What pattern of calcification is it?

 See next several slides
 What organ or structure corresponds to the
anatomic location for that particular kind of
calcification?
Abdominal Calcifications
Patterns

 Abdominal calcifications produce

one 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
Rim-like calcifications - examples

Gallbladder Wall Renal Cyst

Linear or Track-like

 Walls of a tube
 Ureters
 Arterial walls
Track-like calcifications - examples

Atherosclerosis Calcification Vas Deferens

Lamellar or Laminar

 Formed in lumen of a hollow viscus

 Renal stones
 Gallstones
 Bladder stones
Laminar calcifications - examples

Stone in Urinary bladder Staghorn Calculi in Renal Pelves

Cloudlike, Amorphous, Popcorn

 Formed in a solid organ or tumor

 Leiomyomas of uterus
 Ovarian cystadenomas
Amorphous or cloudlike calcifications - examples

Nephrocalcinosis Myomatous Uterus

Important Points

 Rim-like calcifications form in the wall of a

hollow viscous
 Liner or track-like calcifications form in the
wall of a tubular structure
 Laminar or lamellar calcifications form in
the lumen of a hollow viscous
 Popcorn, amorphous or cloud-like
calcifications form in solid organ or tumor
Identify these abdominal calcifications

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What kind of calcification is this and what might it be?

Rim-like

Track-like

Laminar

Amorphous

Right Upper Quadrant

Go ahead
What kind of calcification is this and what might it be?

Rim-like

Track-like

Laminar

Amorphous

Left Upper Quadrant Go ahead

What kind of calcification is this and what might it be?

Rim-like

Track-like

Laminar

Amorphous

Right Upper Quadrant Go ahead

What kind of calcification is this and what might it be?

Rim-like

Track-like

Laminar

Amorphous

Left Upper Quadrant

Go ahead
Correct

This is a rim-like
calcification implying
calcification in the wall
of a hollow viscous.
Since this is the RUQ,
the gallbladder is the
most likely organ. This
is called a “porcelain
gallbladder” because of
the gross appearance
of the calicification.

Right Upper Quadrant

Correct

This is amorphous or
cloud-like
calcification. That
implies calcification in
a solid organ or tumor.
In the left upper
quadrant the organ
that has this shape is
the pancreas. This is
calcification in chronic
pancreatitis.
Correct

These are laminar or

lamellated calcifications.
This implies they formed
within a hollow viscous.
In the right upper
quadrant, that would be
the gallbladder. These
are gallstones.
Correct

This is track-like
calcification which
implies
calcification in the
wall of a tubular
structure like an
artery or the ureter.
In the LUQ, this is
the splenic artery,
calcified and
tortuous from
atherosclerosis.
Whoops, wrong button
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Congratulations, You Graduate

You know
your
abdominal
calcifications

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