Visual demonstration of calcium accumulation in human arteries of upper and lower limbs.

Abstract

To elucidate the calcium content of the arteries in the upper and lower limbs, the authors determined the calcium content of all the arteries in the upper and lower limbs continuously by microwave-induced plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects were an 87-yr-old man and a 72-yr-old woman. The calcium content was determined both in the arteries of the upper limbs continuously, such as the subclavian arteries and its distal arteries, and in the arteries of the lower limbs, such as the common iliac arteries and its distal arteries. The common finding that the higher accumulation of calcium occurred in the arteries of the lower limbs in comparison to the arteries of the upper limbs and extremely high accumulation of calcium occurred in the common, external, and internal iliac arteries was obtained in the two subjects. The calcium content of the arteries in the upper and lower limbs was visually demonstrated.