A retrospective cone-beam computed tomography study of the calcification pattern, prevalence, and morphology of the elongated styloid process

Abstract

Introduction: A styloid process (SP) is considered extended if it is longer than 30 millimeters (mm), which falls between the typical range of 20 and 30 mm. Eagle's syndrome (ES), a disease associated with the styloid process elongation (SPE), was originally recognized by otorhinolaryngologist “Watt Weems Eagle” in 1937. Aims: The calcification pattern, prevalence, and morphology of the SPE in a hospital-based population in Bhubaneswar were all objectively assessed in the study using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methods and Material: Radiographic records of 1027 patients have been recovered arbitrarily from the authentic records and assessed. The length of the SP was estimated and characterized by their morphology and calcification design. The collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25 software. It was deemed statistically significant if the P value ≤ 0.05. Results: It was seen that 25.8% of the males had the presence of elongation as compared to 30.1% of females, which is 153 males out of 440, and 131 females out of 304 showed elongated SP. Conclusion: The SPE could be a coincidental radiography perception without symptoms. In this study, a substitute for CT or all panoramic radiographs for the estimation and assessment of the SP is the CBCT approach.