Diagnosis of Benign and Malignant Calcifications in the Abdomen and Pelvis

Targeted CE per ARRT’s Discipline, Category, and Subcategory classification:
[Note: Discipline-specific Targeted CE credits may be less than the total Category A credits approved for this course.]

Computed Tomography: 2.00
Procedures: 2.00
Abdomen and Pelvis: 2.00

Magnetic Resonance Imaging: 1.75
Procedures: 1.75
Body: 1.75

Nuclear Medicine Technology: 1.75
Procedures: 1.75
Endocrine and Oncology Procedures: 1.75

Registered Radiologist Assistant: 2.50
Procedures: 2.50
Abdominal Section: 2.50

Sonography: 1.75
Procedures: 1.75
Abdomen: 1.75

Radiation Therapy: 2.00
Procedures: 2.00
Treatment Sites and Tumors: 2.00

Outline

1. Introduction
2. Pathophysiology of Calcium Deposition in the Abdomen
3. Basic Imaging Principles for Detection of Calcium
4. Abdominal Calcifications
5. Mesenteric Calcifications
   1. Benign
   2. Malignant
6. Peritoneal Calcifications
   1. Benign
   2. Malignant
7. Retroperitoneal Calcifications
   1. Benign
   2. Malignant
8. Organ-Based Calcifications: Liver
   1. Benign
   2. Malignant
9. Organ-Based Calcifications: Gallbladder
10. Organ-Based Calcifications: Spleen
11. Organ-Based Calcifications: Pancreas
    1. Benign
    2. Malignant
12. Organ-Based Calcifications: Adrenal Glands
    1. Benign
    2. Malignant
13. Organ-Based Calcifications: Kidneys
    1. Benign
    2. Malignant
14. Organ-Based Calcifications: Collecting System
    1. Benign
    2. Malignant
15. Organ-Based Calcifications: Reproductive System
16. Organ-Based Calcifications: Colon
    1. Benign
    2. Malignant
17. Vascular Calcifications
18. Musculoskeletal Calcifications in the Abdomen
19. Conclusion

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will:

1. be familiar with broad categories of calcifications in the abdomen and pelvis
2. identify the imaging modality most sensitive for the purpose of calcium detection in the abdomen and pelvis
3. recognize the causes of pathologic calcium deposition in the abdomen
4. identify the most common nonmalignant cause of calcifications in the abdomen
5. be familiar with the common appearance for vascular calcifications
6. be familiar with the mechanism of calcium deposition in the abdomen due to dystrophic causes
7. be familiar with the limitations of the MRI technique of SWI for detection of calcium detection in the abdomen
8. be familiar with the pattern of calcifications in the LUQ
9. be familiar with the most common mesenteric cyst
10. be familiar with the benign cause of calcifications in the peritoneum
11. identify the malignant causes of calcifications in the urinary bladder
12. recognize the use of PET/CT to differentiate between sclerosing mesenteritis and carcinoid tumor
13. be familiar with calcification in lymphoma treatment
14. be familiar with the most common benign cause for focal calcifications in peritoneum and retroperitoneum
15. be familiar with a peritoneal mouse
16. be familiar with a gossypiboma due to a retained surgical sponge
17. be familiar with the organ most affected by hydatid disease
18. identify the best imaging modality for detecting gallstones
19. be familiar with the most common cause of malignant peritoneal calcifications in women
20. be familiar with the characteristics of neurogenic tumors located in the retroperitoneum
21. be familiar with liposarcoma and where it is located in the human anatomy
22. be familiar with the common benign lesions leading to calcified hepatic granulomas
23. identify the most common primary hepatic malignancy
24. be familiar with a porcelain gallbladder
25. be familiar with the characteristics of the most common calcifications observed in the spleen
26. identify the leading cause of chronic calcifying pancreatitis
27. be familiar with the common CT appearance of serous cystic neoplasms in the pancreas
28. be familiar with the primary cause for bilateral adrenal calcifications
29. be familiar with the common cause of nephrocalcinosis in the medullary of the kidney
30. be familiar with the rate of medullary nephrocalcinosis as compared with cortical nephrocalcinosis
31. be familiar with the calcification resulting from Corynebacterium urealyticum in the urothelium
32. identify the characteristic patterns of calcifications in uterine fibroids due to end stage hyaline degeneration
33. recognize the benign tumors of the gastrointestinal tract
34. identify the medical conditions prevalent in patients with vascular and end-organ calcifications
35. identify the metabolic and autoimmune disorders represented by the acronym CREST