Severity and presence of atherosclerosis signs within the segments of internal carotid artery: CBCT's contribution.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to assess with cone-beam computed tomography the distribution and interrelation of the presence of calcifications along the course of the internal carotid artery and to associate their severity with their allocation within the segments of internal carotid artery, gender, and age.


METHODS
Using a documented visual scale, 161 cone-beam computed tomography scans were evaluated on the allocation and severity of intracranial calcifications within the segments of the internal carotid artery.


RESULTS
Calcifications were detected along the petrous (C2: 11.8%), lacerum (C3: 23.6%), cavernous (C4: 92.5%), and ophthalmic-clinoid (C5/C6: 65.8%) segments. The Friedman test showed significant differences in severity distribution among these segments; the highest degree was found in the C4 segment (P < .05). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed no significant differences between calcifications on the right or left side or between severities within the C1 (extracranial) and C5/C6 segments. The Chi-square test showed that the severity and allocation of calcifications are not influenced by gender; it also showed that their severity increases with age (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
In the cohort studied, the incidence of calcifications increased throughout the C1, C5/C6, and C4 segments. More severe calcifications were found at the C4, C1, and C5/C6 segments in decreasing order but increased with age, regardless of gender.
Research Fellow, Oral Radiology Department, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Assistant Professor, Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: s.damaskos@acta.nl.
Spyros
S
Damaskos
Professor of Oral Radiology, Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Heraldo L D
HL
da Silveira
Department Head, Oral Radiology Department, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Erwin W R
EW
Berkhout
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011857:Radiographic Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors