Carotid Artery Calcification in Panoramic Radiography and Related Risk Factors

Background and Objectives: The carotid artery calcification (CAC) can be seen in panoramic radiographs that are usually used in dentistry. This study aims to determine the prevalence of CAC in Qom, Iran using panoramic radiographs, and find its related factors. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Panoramic radiographs of 417 patients aged ≥40 years referred to a specialized oral and maxillofacial radiology center in Qom city in 2021 were examined for the presence of CAC and a questionnaire was used to find the related risk factors. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software, vertion 22 using Chi-square test and t-test. Results: Of 417 participants, 141 (33.8%) were male and 276 (66.2%) were female. The prevalence of CAC was 1.4%. There was a significant association between CAC and history of cardiovascular diseases (P=0.03), but the incidence of CAC had no association with the history of diabetes, smoking, hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, and myocardial infarction (P>0.05). Conclusion: The incidence of CAC is associated with the history of cardiovascular diseases. Further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are recommended.