Evaluation of Soft Tissue Calcifications on Digital Panoramic Radiographs

When calcified salts are deposited in an unorganized fashion in soft tissue, it is called heterotropic calcification. Calcification of various structures located in the head and neck region are detected accidentally on panoramic radiographs during routine examination. Prevalance of soft tissue calcifications is fairly common & these should be identified to distinguish innocuous lesions from pathologies.

To determine prevalence of visible soft calcifications in digital panoramic radiographs.

A collective Data of digital panoramic radiographs were analysed in department of oral medicine & Radiology. A total of 1615 digital panoramic radiographs were analysed for soft tissue calcifications. Out of these radiographs 959 males and 656 females were included. Calcifications were recorded taking their anatomical site and the box in which they appeared into consideration and were categorized as rhinolith, antrolith, phlebolith, calcified lymph node and calcified atheromatic plaque.

Patients identified with soft tissue calcifications comprised 50.8%tonsillolith 17.4% phlebolith, 11.4% calcified lymph node, 7.6% calcified stylohyoid ligament, 6.8%sialolith 5.3%arteriosclerosis and calcified atheromatic plaques in 5.3% of radiographs. The association of presence of calcification was analyzed with the chi square test (p=0.000).Females showed an increased prevalence of tonsillolith &calcified lymph nodes. Males shows increased prevalence of sialolith, phlebolith &calcified stylohyoid ligament.

In the present study we found high prevalence of tonsillolith in females then males in comparison to other calcifications which was statistically significant.(p=0.000)