Odontogenic Infection Pathway to the Parapharyngeal Space: CT Imaging Assessment

Parapharyngeal space infection may lead to severe and potentially life-threatening complications. The aim of this study was to assess the odontogenic infection pathway to the parapharyngeal space using CT imaging.

Nineteen patients in mandibular odontogenic infections with abscess who underwent contrast-enhanced CT were evaluated in this study. We reviewed the location of abscess and spread of odontogenic infections to the different components of the buccal space, submandibular space, sublingual space, masticator space and parapharyngeal space using CT imaging. The location of abscess and spread of odontogenic infections were analyzed with the Pearson Chi-square test.

Regarding the odontogenic infection pathway to parapharyngeal space, the masticator space (100%) was the most frequent, followed by the buccal space (85.7%), submandibular space (85.7%) and sublingual space (57.1%), while those without parapharyngeal space, the submandibular space (83.3%) was the most frequent, followed by the buccal space (75.0%), masticator space (58.3%) and sublingual space (33.3%). The masticator space was significant space in patients with/without parapharyngeal space infection (P = 0.047).

CT imaging could be an effective method in assessment of odontogenic infection pathway to the parapharyngeal space. The odontogenic infection in masticator space tends to display spread of parapharyngeal space.