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23
Vol. 18, No. 1 pp. 23–34
Copyright © 2012 Via Medica
ISSN 1234–950X
www.angiologia.pl
ORIGINAL PAPER
Mineralization of human carotids
Mineralizacja tętnic szyjnych człowieka
Agnieszka Bieniek
1
, Roman Pfitzner
2
, Maciej Pawlikowski
1
1
Department of Mineralogy, Petrography and Geochemistry, AGH-University of Science and Technology, Cracow,
Poland
(Zakład Mineralogii, Petrografii i Geochemii Akademii Górniczo-Hutniczej w Krakowie)
2
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology, Jagiellonian University John Paul II Hospital, Cracow,
Poland
(Klinika Chirurgii Serca, Naczyń i Transplantologii, Instytut Kardiologii
Collegium Medicum
Uniwersytetu
Jagiellońskiego w Krakowie)
Abstract
Background.
Mineralization is a chemical process that supervenes on specific environmental conditions. Condi-
tions in tissues of the human body foster the creation of different sorts of crystalline phases. The aim of this
research was to indicate the mineral composition of carotid sclerosis lodgement in a group of patients in which
critical narrowing of carotids reducing blood vessel lumen by 75–80% was diagnosed.
Material and methods.
The material for the research was retrieved from 43–71-year-old patients, 6 women
(average age: 67 years) and 20 men (average age: 61.3 years). All of them had atheromatosis. The patients
were qualified to operation of thromboendarterectomy methodology. In 13 of 26 samples mineral grains
were observed. The examination was conducted with a Scanning Microscope (SEM) coupled with an Energy
Dispersive Spectroscope (EDS), X-ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD), and Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy (IR).
Results.
Mineral grains were observed in 13 of 26 samples. Scanning microscope observations allowed us
to ascertain that the mineralization of carotids manifest itself in the form of mineral-organic agglomera-
tions. Chemical analyses that were carried out in the EDS system proved the existence of calcium and phos-
phate in sclerosis lodgement. X-ray diffraction analysis also proved that the sclerosis lodgement contained
phosphates represented by hydroxyapatite and fluoroapatite. Spectra obtained from examinations of samples
carried out by infrared absorption spectroscopy indicated PO4
3–
group existence, organic material, and hy-
droxyl groups. Organic material from the examined samples is represented by phospholipids and cholesterol.
The performed analyses prove that wide waves coming from hydroxyl complexes can originate from OH–ions
as well as from H
2
O particles.
Conclusions.
The inorganic phase of the sclerosis lodgement is composed of calcium phosphate, while the
organic phase is composed mainly of cholesterol. Research suggests that both organic and inorganic miner-
alization is created primarily at locations of biological structure damage. Patients with critical structures, who
necessitate surgical treatment, are dominated by “soft” and fibrous atherosclerotic plaques with low content
of non-organic mineralization.
Key words: atheromatosis, mineralization, carotid, calcium phosphate
Streszczenie
Wstęp.
Mineralizacja jest procesem chemicznym zachodzącym w określonych warunkach środowiskowych.
Warunki panujące w tkankach organizmu człowieka sprzyjają tworzeniu się różnego rodzaju faz krystalicznych.
Address for correspondence:
mgr inż. Agnieszka Bieniek
Zakład Mineralogii, Petrografii i Geochemii
Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza
al. Mickiewicza 30, 30–059 Kraków
tel.: (+48 12) 617 23 73, fax: (+48 12) 633 43 30
e-mail: bieniek@geol.agh.edu.pl