Table 1.

Details of how calcification scores were allocated to each vessel

Site	Score 1 (Minor calcification)	Score 2 (Major calcification)
Proximal aorta	Nine or fewer foci and Three or fewer foci extending over three or more sections	More than nine foci or More than three foci extending over three or more sections
Coeliac trunk	Calcifications extending over 3 or fewer sections and Maximal cross- sectional diameter of a single focus less than 10mm	Calcifications extending over three or more sections and maximal cross sectional diameter of a single focus greater than 10mm or Calcifications involving both the proximal and distal parts
Right post	One or more calcifications	NA
Coeliac arteries
Left post	One or more calcifications	NA
Coeliac arteries
Distal aorta	Nine or fewer foci and Three or fewer foci extending over three or more sections	More than nine foci or More than three foci extending over three or more sections or Subjectively assessed as having heavy calcifications
Aortic bifurcation	Calcifications affecting less than 40% of the circumference of the vessel	Calcifications affecting more than 40% of the circumference of the vessel

For each site, a score of zero was assigned in cases where there were no calcifications. A focus refers to a distinct area of calcification. Section refers to a single computed tomography image in the axial plane