LAUSR

PURPOSE To determine the reliability of subjective and objective quantification of mitral annular calcification (MAC) in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis, to define quantitative sex- and age-related reference values of MAC, and to correlate quantitative MAC with mitral valve disease. METHODS In this retrospective, IRB-approved study, we included 559 patients (268 females, median age 81 years, inter-quartile range 77-85 years) with severe aortic stenosis undergoing CT. Four independent readers performed subjective MAC categorization as follows: no, mild, moderate, and severe MAC. Two independent readers performed quantitative evaluation of MAC using the Agatston score method (AgatstonMAC). Mitral valve disease was determined by echocardiography. RESULTS Subjective MAC categorization showed high inter-reader agreement for no (k = 0.88) and severe MAC (k = 0.75), whereas agreement for moderate (k = 0.59) and mild (k = 0.45) MAC was moderate. Intra-reader agreement for subjective MAC categorization was substantial (k = 0.69 and 0.62). Inter- and intra-reader agreement for AgatstonMAC were excellent (ICC = 0.998 and 0.999, respectively), with minor inconsistencies in MAC involving the left ventricular outflow tract/aortic valve. There were significantly more women than men with MAC (n = 227, 85% versus n = 209, 72%; p < 0.001), with a significantly higher AgatstonMAC (median 597, range 81-2055 versus median 244; range 0-1565; p < 0.001), particularly in patients ≥85 years of age. AgatstonMAC showed an area-under-the-curve of 0.84 to diagnose mitral stenosis, whereas there was no association of AgatstonMAC with mitral regurgitation (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our study in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis shows that quantitative MAC scoring is more reliable than subjective MAC assessment. Women show higher AgatstonMAC scores than men, particularly in the elderly population. AgatstonMAC shows high accuracy to diagnose mitral stenosis.