[Calcifying coronary sclerosis. Incidence and clinical importance of radiographically visible coronary sclerosis in the light of new study methods].

Since introduction of the new image intensifier generation coronary calcification has become a common finding during fluoroscopy. Nearly one quarter of all patients over 40 years have calcified coronary vessels, men twice as often as women. More than two thirds of all these patients have coronary heart disease. Patients with coronary calcification suffer more often than those without from risk diseases of atherosclerosis, especially of coronary heart disease. The calcification means in most cases a lumen reduction of the vessel and is predominantly located in the left coronary artery. Other uncalcified stenoses exist very often, i.e. multiple vessel disease is a very common finding in these patients. The x-ray sign confirms the diagnosis "coronary heart disease" if there are other suspicious findings but it has not rarely its own value in comparison with other non-invasive examination methods in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease.