Calcification of the Abdominal Aorta as an Aid in Diagnosis of Gastric Carcinoma vs. Benign Ulcer

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Abstract
The presence or absence of calcified atherosclerosis of the abdominal aorta has been evaluated in 107 cases of carcinoma of the stomach and 116 cases of benign gastric ulcer in patients over the age of fifty years. In striving for greater accuracy in the diagnosis of the gastric lesion, one must still evaluate the sum of clinical symptoms, laboratory findings such as the presence or absence of acid in the stomach, the results of gastric washing cell studies, gastroscopy, and careful roentgen study. It is suggested that, all other factors being equal, lack of calcification of the abdominal aorta in a patient over fifty years of age suggests a malignant nature of the gastric lesion.