Ligamentum arteriosum in pediatric population radiological characterization of calcification

Aim The ductus arteriosus is the structure that connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta and plays a role in the right to left shunt of blood passing the lungs during the fetal period. After birth, the ductus arteriosus ligamentim arteriosum forms and can sometimes calcify. Ligamentum arteriosum calcification can be seen as punctate/point or coarse/curvilinear between the superior pulmonary artery and the proximal descending aorta on CT in adults. Calcification of the ligamentum arteriosum in adults is considered a benign formation and differs from other anatomical structures calcified in the mediastinum. Our aim in this study is to estimate the frequency of ligamentum arteriosum calcification in the pediatric population in non-contrast thorax computed tomography and PAAG. Materials and Methods Patients aged 0-18 years, who underwent non-contrast thorax CT and POAG at Erzincan Binali Yıldırım University, Department of Radiology between March 1, 2020 and October 31, 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. It was examinated whether there was ligamentum arteriosum calcification between the pulmonary artery and the aorta in the non-contrast CT images, and between the pulmonary conus and the aortic knob in the PAAGs. If there is calcification, it was recommended punctate/point or coarse/linear and the information was documanted by grouping the patients age. Results The research population consisted of 1003 patients, 548 males (54,6%) and 455 females (45,4%). The rate of patients with calcification detected by CT is 25,5% (n:256). Punctate/point calcification was observed in 11,3% and coarse/linear calcification was observed in 14,3% of all patients. The rate of calcification detection with POAG was 1.7% (n:17). Calcification was also detected in PAAG in 6.6% of those with calcifications on CT. Calcification was not detected in PAAG in those without calcification on CT and in those with punctate/point 4 calcification on CT. Gender distribution did not differ significantly between patients with and without calcifications. Age classifications did not differ significantly in terms of the presence of calcification. Conclusion Calcification of the ligamentum arteriosum is a common finding in all age groups in the pediatric population. It can be detected better in non-contrast CT than in direct radiography. It is most commonly observed as coarse/linear type calcification, and if calcification is present, it can be easily detected on CT. When reporting pediatric CT studies, radiologists should be able to distinguish ligamentum arteriosum calcification encountered in the pediatric population from other pathological and anatomical conditions and accept it as a normal finding in order to avoid unnecessary further investigations and investigations.