Pathology Observed on Cone Beam Computed Tomographic Scans: A Comparison of Prevalence and Type of Incidental Findings for Child/Adolescents and Adults
Abstract
Introduction: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has gained popularity in the field of dentistry and orthodontics. The increased use of CBCT raises the likelihood of incidental findings outside of the primary area of interest. This study compared the prevalence, type, and percent of referral for incidental findings observed on CBCTs between child/adolescent and adult patients. Method: 267 CBCT scans from child/adolescent patients (18 yo) and 254 from adults (19 yo)were evaluated by one radiologist and findings were placed into seven categories for comparison. All findings were categorized as 1) requiring referral to a healthcare provider, 2) requiring referral, if symptomatic, and 3) those requiring no referral. The groups were compared using Chi Square analysis. Results: 97.3% of all 521 scans had at least one incidental finding. Adults were more likely to incur at least one finding (p<0.001) in every category studied; the airway category revealed a greater (p=0.0001) number of findings in the child/adolescent group. Adults were more likely (p=0.0001) to have findings that required referral to a healthcare provider. Referrals for dental (p=0.0001), osseous structures (p=0.0084), and other findings (p=0.0062) were more prevalent for adults. Conclusions: CBCTs of adults revealed more incidental findings in all, but one category. The airway category was the only one in which child/adolescent patients exhibited more findings. CBCTs of adults revealed a higher percentage of incidental findings that required referral (42%) to a healthcare provider, compared to child/adolescents (17%). The high prevalence of findings observed in this study, supports routine review of CBCT scans by a radiologist.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 13, 2013
- Accession Number
- AD1012905
Entities
People
- James Jr W. Cobb
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences