Prevalence of carotid artery calcifications among 2,500 digital panoramic radiographs of an adult Brazilian population

Background The aim of the present study was to analyze the epidemiological data of digital panoramic radiographs revealing suggestive images of carotid artery calcifications (CAC) from a Northeast Brazilian population. Material and Methods A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted with 2,500 digital panoramic radiographs obtained from a single imaging reference center in Northeast Brazil. Images from individuals of both sexes and older than 18 years were included and those that did not cover the region of cervical vertebrae or presented low radiographic quality were excluded. Data were analyzed regarding prevalence, location (bilateral, right or left), sex, and age using the Chi-s…