title: Association between extra- and intracranial calcifications of the internal carotid artery: a CBCT imaging study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the association between the extracranial and intracranial calcification depiction of the internal carotid artery (ICA), incidentally found in CBCT examinations in adults, and to discuss the conspicuous clinical implications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out of a series of 1085 CBCT examinations, 705 CBCT scans were selected according to pre-defined criteria. The extra- and intracranial calcifications depicted along the course of the ICA were documented according to a comprehensive set of descriptive criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 799 findings were detected, 60.1% (n = 480) were intracranially and 39.9% (n = 319) were extracranially allocated. The χ(2) test showed associations between all variables (p < 0.001). Also, most of the combinations of variables showed statistically significant results in the McNemar's test (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that a significant correlation exists between extra- and intracranial calcifications of the ICA. It is clear that in cases of the presence of a calcification in the ICA extracranially, the artery's intracranial portion has an increased risk of showing the same findings. CBCT imaging is widely used as a diagnostic tool, thus, our results contribute to the identification of a subgroup of patients who should undergo further medical evaluation of the atherosclerosis of the ICAs.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Oral Radiology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, Netherlands.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Damaskos
authors.forename: I H A
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Aartman
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsiklakis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van der Stelt
authors.forename: W E R
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Berkhout
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D061205:Vascular Calcification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: calcifications; cone beam computed tomography; internal carotid artery