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Diagnostic accuracy of panoramic radiography in the detection of calcified carotid artery

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Dental Science Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea, ² Department of Radiology, Medical School, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea, ³ Department of Periodontology, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Korea

*Correspondence to: Dr Suk-Ja Yoon, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Chonnam National University, Donggu Hakdong 5, Gwangju, 501-757, Korea. E-mail: yoonfr{at}chonnam.ac.kr

Received 1 February 2007; accepted 6 April 2007

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the panoramic radiograph in the detection of carotid artery calcification using CT as the gold standard.

Methods: 110 dental patients (average age 65.2 years, range 50–82 years) with both panoramic radiographs and CT scans available were selected for the evaluation of carotid artery calcification. Two oral and maxillofacial radiologists interpreted the panoramic radiographs for the presence of carotid artery calcification. CT scans were independently interpreted by a neuroradiologist.

Results: The accuracy of panoramic radiographs in the detection of carotid artery calcification was 62.3%. The sensitivity and the specificity were 22.2% and 90.0%, respectively.

Conclusions: Panoramic radiography has a moderate diagnostic accuracy in the detection of carotid artery calcification, but the sensitivity is low.

Keywords: carotid artery; panoramic radiography; tomography, X-ray computed