Do you know Carotid calcifications in panoramic radiographs can cause stroke or ischemic heart diseases?

 

A long-term follow-up study shows that  Carotid calcifications in panoramic radio-graphs are associated with future stroke or ischemic heart diseases in 60–96-year-old individuals.

carotid calcification on the right side

In dental practice, panoramic radiography is a frequently performed radiographic diagnostic method that can also be utilized to identify carotid artery calcifications when the area of the carotid artery bifurcates is visible.  Calcifications in the area of the carotid bifurcation are usually localized posterior and inferior to the mandibular angle adjacent to the space between the third or fourth cervical vertebrae (C3 and C4).

Data suggest that calcification identified in panoramic radiographs can be identified in 3–15% of the adult population.These signs of carotid calcifications are more frequently found in panoramic dental radiographs from older individuals .