Fig. 2. Measurement of aortic calcification index (ACI). ACI was quantitatively measured using abdominal computed tomography images by evaluating 10 slices of the aorta scanned at 10-mm intervals above the bifurcation of the common iliac arteries. Each slice was divided into 12 sectors, and the numbers of sectors with calcification were counted. The ACI (%) was calculated by averaging the percentage of calcification-positive sectors in slices 1–10. The green area in the axial view indicates calcification. CP: calcification profile.