title: Diagnosis and management of calcified carotid artery atheroma: dental perspectives.
abstract: The calcification of cervical carotid artery atheroma (CCAA) represents maturation of a lumenal atherosclerotic plaque that has been associated with a high risk of cerebral stroke. The demonstration of CCAA on rotational panoramic images has received increasing attention in dentistry since it was first described in 1981. The purposes of this article are to provide a background to the mechanism of arterial calcification, to review the clinical diagnostic and management algorithms for dental practitioners when CCAA are identified radiologically, and to describe and illustrate current appropriate radiographic modalities and medical management strategies used to confirm and assess stenosis associated with CCAA.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. dmacdon@dentistry.ubc.ca
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: MacDonald
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Talia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vertinsky
authors.forename: Allan G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Farman
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Scarfe
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D012307:Risk Factors; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*