What is the Difference Between Calcified and Noncalcified Plaque

The key difference between calcified and noncalcified plaque is that calcified plaque is a plaque that is hard due to the presence of calcium, while noncalcified plaque is a soft plaque due to the absence of calcium.

Atherosclerosis is a medical condition that occurs due to thickening or hardening of the arteries. It is caused by plaque build-up in the arteries’ inner lining. The risk factors for this condition include high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, lack of physical activity, and eating saturated fats. These plaques are mainly of two types: calcified plaques and noncalcified plaques.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Calcified Plaque
3. What is a Noncalcified Plaque
4. Similarities – Calcified and Noncalcified Plaque
5. Calcified vs Noncalcified Plaque in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Calcified vs Noncalcified Plaque

What is a Calcified Plaque?

Calcified plaque is a hard plaque containing calcium build-ups in the arteries. This can lead to a health condition called atherosclerosis. These plaques are usually waxy substances that contain deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, waste products from cells, and blood clotting material (fibrin) in the blood. These calcified plaques become harder and narrow the arteries. This prevents blood from flowing through the veins and increases the risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke.

Calcium is an essential mineral that keeps the bones and teeth strong. It also plays a role in other vital processes in the body. About 99% of calcium goes inside bones and teeth. The rest of the calcium dissolves in the blood. Calcification is a process in which calcium accumulates in body tissues. However, abnormal calcification leads the affected tissue to stiffen and harden.

Furthermore, the coronary calcium score is an indicator to identify the presence of calcium plaques. At any age, a calcium score of 0 is considered optimal or standard, while a calcium score over 400 is a high-risk category for heart disease. However, if noncalcified plaques are present, the score will still be 0, providing a false sense of reassurance. Therefore, they have to be detected through imaging studies.

What is a Noncalcified Plaque?

Noncalcified plaque is a plaque that does not contain excess calcium. It is also called a soft or vulnerable plaque. If left untreated, these soft plaques may lead to heart and blood vessel problems such as heart attack, stroke, or heart failure. This is because these noncalcified plaques can block blood flow to the heart or brain.

Noncalcified plaques are more prevalent than calcified plaques. Through years of research, it has been found that noncalcified atherosclerotic plaques are more metabolically active than heavily calcified plaques. They are also associated with an increased risk of acute coronary syndromes. Moreover, it has been discovered that patients with noncalcified plaques have a higher risk of mortality from coronary diseases compared to patients with mixed plaques or calcified plaques. Furthermore, noncalcified plaques can be diagnosed through coronary computed tomographic angiography.

What are the Similarities Between Calcified and Noncalcified Plaque?

• Calcified and noncalcified plaque are two types of plaque formed in the arteries.
• Both plaques are waxy substances consisting of deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, waste products from cells, and blood clotting material (fibrin).
• They can lead to an increase in the risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke.
• Both plaques can be diagnosed through imaging studies.
• The formation of these plaques can be controlled by lifestyle modification.

What is the Difference Between Calcified and Noncalcified Plaque?

Calcified plaque is a plaque that contains calcium and builds up inside the arteries, while noncalcified plaque is a plaque that does not contain calcium. Thus, this is the key difference between calcified plaque and noncalcified plaque. Furthermore, calcified plaques are less prevalent than noncalcified plaques.

The infographic below presents the differences between calcified plaque and noncalcified plaque in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Calcified vs. Noncalcified Plaque

Atherosclerosis is a type of vascular disease. In this condition, arteries become damaged by high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain genetic influences. Atherosclerosis is caused by plaque build-up in the arteries’ inner lining. The plaques can be calcified, noncalcified, or mixed types. Calcified plaque is hard and contains calcium, while noncalcified plaque is soft and does not contain calcium. However, calcified plaque is associated with a lower risk of acute coronary syndromes, while noncalcified plaque is associated with a higher risk of acute coronary syndromes. So, this summarizes the difference between calcified and noncalcified plaque.

Reference:

1. “Salpingitis.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. Koulaouzidis G, Charisopoulou D, Jenkins PJ, Koulaouzidis A, McArthur T, “Prevalence of Noncalcified Coronary Plaque in Patients with Calcium Score of 0: The Silent Enemy.” Angiology.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Coronary Artery Disease” By BruceBlaus – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “RICA Stenosis 174302500” By © Nevit Dilmen (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia