Challita Raymond, Sokhn Sayde, Challita Ronald, Challita Anthony, Aoun Georges
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Lebanese University, Beirut, LBN.
Oral Medicine and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Lebanese University, Beirut, LBN.
Cureus. 2020 Oct 29;12(10):e11238. doi: 10.7759/cureus.11238.
Objectives Tonsilloliths and adenoid calcifications are usually an incidental finding in radiologic studies. Several studies were done to evaluate the presence of tonsillar calcifications using different radiological techniques that include panoramic radiographs, computed tomography (CT), and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). These percentages varied in different populations and changed with the technique used. A CBCT is used to allow the visualization of the calcifications to make a better diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study conducted in Lebanon to study tonsillar and adenoid calcifications using CBCT. This study aims to assess the epidemiology and the demographic criteria of tonsilloliths and adenoid calcifications in a sample of the Lebanese population using the CBCT. Methods In this retrospective study, CBCT images of 125 patients attending a private clinic in Jbeil, Lebanon from May 2016 to July 2019 were selected. Images were evaluated by a maxillofacial radiologist. Adenoid and palatine calcifications were recorded. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 21 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY, USA). The level of statistical significance was established at a p-value < 0.05. Results A total of 21 patients (17.35%) had palatine calcifications and two patients (1.65%) had adenoid calcifications. From those with tonsilloliths, 12 female patients (16.43%) and nine male patients (18.75%) had palatine calcifications. Moreover, one male (2.08%) and one female (1.36%) had adenoid calcifications. There was no statistically significant difference in the distribution of calcifications with respect to gender. There was a non-statistically significant difference in the mean age of the patients with respect to the distribution of palatine and adenoid calcifications. The pattern of palatine calcifications showed a statistically significant difference in various age groups. Palatine calcifications distribution, with respect to the side, were statistically significant. Conclusion The prevalence of tonsilloliths in our sample was found to be 17.35%. The high prevalence detected was due to the technique used, the CBCT, which ensured a more detailed examination. The distribution was not affected by gender and age. However, multiple patterns of calcification were identified in younger age groups as opposed to other studies. Moreover, adenoid calcifications were present in 1.65% of the sample.
目的 扁桃体结石和腺样体钙化在放射学检查中通常是偶然发现。已开展多项研究，使用包括全景X线片、计算机断层扫描（CT）和锥形束计算机断层扫描（CBCT）在内的不同放射学技术来评估扁桃体钙化的存在情况。这些百分比在不同人群中有所不同，并随所使用的技术而变化。CBCT用于使钙化可视化以进行更好的诊断。据我们所知，这是黎巴嫩首次使用CBCT研究扁桃体和腺样体钙化的研究。本研究旨在使用CBCT评估黎巴嫩人群样本中扁桃体结石和腺样体钙化的流行病学及人口统计学标准。
方法 在这项回顾性研究中，选取了2016年5月至2019年7月在黎巴嫩朱拜勒一家私人诊所就诊的125例患者的CBCT图像。图像由一名颌面放射科医生进行评估。记录腺样体和腭部钙化情况。使用社会科学统计软件包（SPSS）21版（美国纽约州阿蒙克市IBM SPSS Statistics）进行统计分析。统计学显著性水平设定为p值<0.05。
结果 共有21例患者（17.35%）有腭部钙化，2例患者（1.65%）有腺样体钙化。在有扁桃体结石的患者中，12例女性患者（16.43%）和9例男性患者（18.75%）有腭部钙化。此外，1例男性（2.08%）和1例女性（1.36%）有腺样体钙化。钙化分布在性别方面无统计学显著差异。患者的平均年龄在腭部和腺样体钙化分布方面无统计学显著差异。腭部钙化模式在不同年龄组中显示出统计学显著差异。腭部钙化分布在两侧方面具有统计学显著性。
结论 在我们的样本中，扁桃体结石的患病率为17.35%。检测到的高患病率归因于所使用的技术，即CBCT，它确保了更详细的检查。分布不受性别和年龄影响。然而，与其他研究不同，在较年轻年龄组中发现了多种钙化模式。此外，样本中有1.65%存在腺样体钙化。
