A novel imaging technique for the non destructive quantification of heart valve calcification

A DEXA system designed specifically for small in vitro samples was calibrated for quantitating total calcium content of calcified valve tissue. A unique volume microcomputed tomography (CT) scanner system was used to create 3D images of 23 calcified aortic cusps. Accurate non destructive calcium quantitation was demonstrated by CT with the additional capability of localization and quantitative distribution measurements.