Carotid Artery Calcifications on Panoramic Radiographs

Area of Science:

• Dentistry
• Radiology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Carotid artery calcifications (CACs) are associated with increased risk of stroke and cardiovascular events.
• Panoramic radiography is a common dental imaging technique that may reveal incidental findings of CACs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of carotid artery calcifications (CACs) in a Polish dental patient population using panoramic radiographs.
• To assess the clinical significance of incidentally detected CACs in dental patients.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 4000 panoramic radiographs taken between 2005 and 2012 from patients born between 1922 and 1958.
• Trained dentists analyzed 2189 accessible images (54.73%) for the presence or absence of CACs.

Main Results:

• CACs were detected in 468 patients (21.68%), with unilateral calcifications in 14.94% and bilateral in 6.44%.
• Women (60.68%) had a higher prevalence of CACs than men (39.32%).

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of CACs in patients aged 54 and older, as detected on panoramic radiographs, is 21.68%.
• Incidental detection of CACs on dental radiographs indicates a significant clinical problem requiring attention.