To elucidate the calcium content of the arteries in the upper and lower lim
bs, the authors determined the calcium content of all the arteries in the u
pper and lower limbs continuously by microwave-induced plasma-atomic emissi
on spectrometry. The subjects were an 87-yr-old man and a 72-yr-old woman.
The calcium content was determined both in the arteries of the upper limbs
continuously, such as the subclavian arteries and its distal arteries, and
in the arteries of the lower limbs, such as the common iliac arteries and i
ts distal arteries. The common finding that the higher accumulation of calc
ium occurred in the arteries of the lower limbs in comparison to the arteri
es of the upper limbs and extremely high accumulation of calcium occurred i
n the common, external, and internal iliac arteries was obtained in the two
subjects. The calcium content of the arteries in the upper and lower limbs
was visually demonstrated.