Regressing calcifications in the carotid artery: What's going on? A case series.

Dianne H K van Dam-Nolen, Taihra Zadi, M Eline Kooi, Jeroen Hendrikse, Paul J Nederkoorn, Aad van der Lugt, Daniel Bos

Abstract readCase Reports

In one paragraph

Article in Radiology case reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Dianne H K van Dam-NolenDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Taihra ZadiDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

M Eline KooiDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, CARIM School for Cardiovascular Diseases, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Jeroen HendrikseDepartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Paul J NederkoornDepartment of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Aad van der LugtDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Daniel BosDepartment of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This case series describes a finding that carotid calcifications could decrease during follow-up, as the predominant idea is that calcifications either progress or stabilize over time. This novel finding is of great interest considering that potential regression of calcifications could affect prevention strategies for atherosclerosis and ischemic stroke. We describe 3 patients (3 men, age ranging from 72 to 75 years) with decrease in carotid calcifications during 2-year follow-up. All 3 patients had macrocalcifications and used different medications during follow-up. This remarkable finding gives new insights in the natural course of atherosclerosis as a main cause of ischemic stroke. Further study is needed to investigate whether this is a harmful or beneficial process and to unravel pathophysiological mechanisms.

Indexed as

AtherosclerosisCalcificationsCarotid arteryComputed tomography angiographyIschemic strokeSerial imaging

Identifiers

PMID40686796

DOI10.1016/j.radcr.2025.05.108

PMCPMC12271770

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