Examination of the Frequency of Soft Tissue Ossification and Calcifications in Panoramic Radiographs: A Retrospective...

Background: This retrospective study aimed to assess the prevalence and distribution of common soft tissue ossifications and calcifications in the head and neck area, such as tonsilloliths, calcified lymph nodes, atherosclerotic plaques, stylohyoid ligament calcifications, and laryngeal cartilage calcifications, using panoramic radiographs (PRs) from a Turkish population. A secondary objective was to analyze these findings based on age and gender, ultimately seeking to enhance clinicians' awareness of these incidental findings and their potential diagnostic significance. Methods: PRs of 1207 patients applying to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Dentistry between 2021 and 2022 were reviewed. Out of these, 1193 images meeting quality criteria and showing distinct anatomical details were included. Patients with prior diagnosed bone metabolic disorders were excluded. Two radiologists independently assessed the images for the presence of soft tissue calcifications and ossifications. Inter-observer reliability was quantified using Cohen's Kappa coefficient, which was found to be 0.78, indicating substantial agreement (95% CI: [0.72-0.83], p < 0.001). The calcifications and ossifications were categorized according to age, gender, and type. Data were analyzed employing descriptive statistical methods and Chi-square tests, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results: Soft tissue calcification or ossification was observed in 122 (10.22%) of the 1193 retrospectively evaluated PRs. The most common findings included stylohyoid ligament ossifications (n = 31), laryngeal cartilage calcifications (n = 28), tonsilloliths (n = 25), calcified atherosclerotic plaques (n = 18), and calcified lymph nodes (n = 18). Two antroliths were also identified. Arteriosclerosis, phleboliths, and sialoliths were not detected in this cohort. Although some types of calcification showed numerical variations across age groups and genders (e.g., higher prevalence of most anomalies in patients aged 31 years and older; more frequent laryngeal cartilage calcification in women and tonsilloliths in men), Chi-square analyses revealed no statistically significant association between the presence of these calcifications or ossifications and either age group (p = 0.284) or gender (p = 0.122). Conclusions: PRs serve as an effective initial screening instrument for identifying soft tissue calcifications within the head and neck region, owing to their widespread availability, cost-effectiveness, and minimal radiation exposure. The detection of such findings is of paramount importance, as they may indicate underlying systemic conditions necessitating further diagnostic evaluation. While clinicians should remain vigilant to these anomalies, definitive diagnosis typically requires supplementary imaging modalities such as cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), ultrasound, or histopathological analysis.