Calcification

Calcification
This article is about calcification of body tissue. For calcification of water pipes, see Hard water

Calcification is the process in which calcium salts build up in soft tissue, causing it to harden. Calcifications may be classified on whether there is mineral balance or not, and the location of the calcification.

Contents

Causes

Calcification of soft tissue (arteries, cartilage, heart valves, etc) can be caused by Vitamin K deficiency or by poor calcium absorption due to a high calcium/vitamin D ratio. This can occur with or without a mineral imbalance.

Intake of excessive Vitamin D can cause Vitamin D poisoning and excessive intake of calcium from the intestine, when accompanied by a deficiency of vitamin K (perhaps induced by an anticoagulent such as warfarin). This can result in calcification of arteries and other soft tissue.[1] Such metastatic soft tissue calcification is mainly in tissues containing "calcium catchers" such as elastic fibres or sour mucopolysacharides. These tissues especially include the lungs (pumice lung) and the aorta.[2]

Mineral balance

Symptoms

Calcification can manifest itself in many ways in the body. Several conditions can be caused by poor calcium absorption:

Location

Pattern

Patterns of calcifications may indicate pathological processes. Laminated appearance suggests granulomatous disease while popcorn calcification indicate hamartoma. Malignant lesions may have stippled or eccentric lesions.

Treatment

Treatment of high calcium/vitamin D ratio may most easily be accomplished by intake of more vitamin D if vitamin K is normal. Intake of too much vitamin D would be evident by anorexia, loss of appetite, or soft tissue calcification.

See also

References

  1. ^ Paul Price, et al, "Warfarin-Induced Artery Calcification Is Accelerated by Growth and Vitamin D", Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, year=2000, volume=20, pages=317-327 http://atvb.ahajournals.org/content/20/2/317.short
  2. ^ Pathologic basis of veterinary disease, McGavin, Zachary; fourth edition; Elsevir 2007
  • Pathologic basis of veterinary disease, McGavin, Zachary; fourth edition; Elsevir 2007
v · d · eInborn error of metal metabolism (E83, 275)
Transition metal
Cu
Zn
high: Zinc toxicity
Electrolyte
Na+ and K+
see Template:Water-electrolyte imbalance and acid-base imbalance
deficiency: Hypomagnesemia

M: NUT

cof, enz, met

noco, nuvi, sysi/epon, met

drug(A8/11/12)

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • Calcification — Cal ci*fi*ca tion (k[a^]l s[i^]*f[i^]*k[=a] sh[u^]n), n. (Physiol.) The process of change into a stony or calcareous substance by the deposition of lime salt; normally, as in the formation of bone and of teeth; abnormally, as in calcareous… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • calcification — [kal΄sə fi kā′shən] n. 1. a calcifying; specif., the deposition of calcium salts in body tissues 2. a calcified substance or structure …   English World dictionary

  • Calcification — Sommaire 1 Médecine 1.1 Calcifications liées à une hypercalcémie 1.2 Calcifications post nécrotiques 1.3 Anomalies des substances intercellulaires …   Wikipédia en Français

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  • calcification — /kal seuh fi kay sheuhn/, n. 1. a changing into lime. 2. Physiol. the deposition of lime or insoluble salts of calcium and magnesium, as in a tissue. 3. Anat., Geol. a calcified formation. 4. a soil process in which the surface soil is supplied… …   Universalium

  • calcification — calcify ► VERB (calcifies, calcified) ▪ harden by deposition of or conversion into calcium carbonate or other calcium salts. DERIVATIVES calcification noun …   English terms dictionary

  • calcification — noun 1. a process that impregnates something with calcium (or calcium salts) (Freq. 1) • Derivationally related forms: ↑calcify • Hypernyms: ↑chemical process, ↑chemical change, ↑chemical action • Hyponyms …   Useful english dictionary

  • Calcification, nonarteriosclerotic cerebral — This condition described in 1930 by T. Fahr (and therefore called Fahr syndrome) is a genetic (inherited) neurological disorder characterized by abnormal deposits of calcium in certain of areas of the brain (including the basal ganglia and the… …   Medical dictionary

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