Prevalence of pneumatized articular eminence of the temporal bone on panoramic and tomographic images: scoping review

Abstract

Pneumatization of structures can be a significant risk factor during surgical precudures. The aim of the present scoping review was to evaluate the prevalence of pneumatized articular eminence of the temporal bone on panoramic radiograph and computed tomography images. A search was performed of the following databases: Medline/Pubmed, SciELO, LILACS and Scopus. Prevalence papers with use of radiographic or tomographic images. Papers from any language were included, published up to February 2024. Among the 54 selected papers, a total sample of 75015 patients was considered. The pooled prevalation of pneumatized articular eminence was 3865 (5,85) cases. Upon further comparison, computerized tomography images presented higher prevalence than panoramic radiograph. Specific prevalence analysis showed that the prevalence is higher in females (1.11:1 ratio), unilateral (1,55:1) and multilocular (2,19:1). When computed tomography was employed, the biletaral and multilocular prevalence was higher, in comparison to studies using panoramic radiography. Computed tomography should be considered the stardard imaging exam for assessing pneumatization.