Severe Aortic Calcification

This is what happens to all those atherosclerotic plaques over time - they get calcified. And if the patient is old enough (this patient is 98 years old) - the amount of calcium deposits could be quite impressive.

As an autopsy specimen this aorta would be hard as a rock - literally an “iron pipe”

From clinical perspective this is more of an indicator of the severity of the disease.