When calcium phosphate forms in soft tissues such as blood vessels and heart valves, it causes disease. The abnormal formation of calcium phosphate is called pathogenic mineralization or pathogenic calcification. Cases of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) always occur with fibrotic and calcified tissue of heart valve. In this article, samples taken from calcified human heart valves were studied. The characterization was performed by scanning electronic microscope, X-ray Diffraction and transmission electron microscopy with selective diffraction patterns. It is found for the first time that calcium phosphate grains existing in the calcified human heart valves contain octacalcium phosphate (OCP).
