The development of plaques along the inner layer of arterial walls is known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerotic plaques can become hardened by calcium deposition and fibrous tissue of the arterial wall may proliferate leading to arteriosclerosis. In a typical textbook, arteriosclerosis only has three categories-atherosclerosis, Monckeberg medial calcific sclerosis, and arteriolosclerosis, leaving out vascular aging when in fact, aging is the strongest risk factor for atherosclerosis. Thus, vascular aging is often confused with atherosclerosis. Up to now, there has been no appropriate pathological term for vascular aging. And arteriosclerosis is different from vascular aging, as atherosclerosis includes some components of pathologic aging. But in actuality, physiological aging and pathological aging can not be clearly distinguished. Therefore, in terms of aging, arteriosclerosis is included in vascular aging. More research is required to define vascular aging.
Aging ; Arteriolosclerosis ; Arteriosclerosis ; Atherosclerosis ; Calcium ; Monckeberg Medial Calcific Sclerosis ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic ; Risk Factors

Mönckeberg sclerosis is a disease of unknown etiology, characterized by dystrophic calcification within the arterial tunica media of the lower extremities leading to reduced arterial compliance. Medial calcinosis does not obstruct the lumina of the arteries, and therefore does not lead to symptoms or signs of limb or organ ischemia. Mönckeberg sclerosis most commonly occurs in aged and diabetic individuals and in patients on dialysis. Mönckeberg arteriosclerosis is frequently observed in the visceral arteries, and it can occur in the head and neck region as well. This report describes a remarkable case of Mönckeberg arteriosclerosis in the head and neck region as detected on dental imaging studies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case that has been reported in which this condition presented in the facial vasculature. The aim of this report was to define the radiographic characteristics of Mönckeberg arteriosclerosis in an effort to assist health care providers in diagnosing and managing this condition.
Arteries ; Arteriosclerosis* ; Calcinosis ; Compliance ; Dialysis ; Extremities ; Head* ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Ischemia ; Lower Extremity ; Monckeberg Medial Calcific Sclerosis ; Neck* ; Tunica Media ; Vascular Calcification