Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1 Manazuru, Kokurakita-ku, Kitakyushu, 803-8580, Japan.
Division of Developmental Stomatognathic Function Science, Kyushu Dental University, Kitakyushu, Japan.
BMC Oral Health. 2021 Feb 16;21(1):72. doi: 10.1186/s12903-021-01426-1.
Tonsilloliths are related clinically to halitosis and tonsillar abscess. However, the dynamics of tonsilloliths over time are unknown. The aim of the study was to evaluate change in the characteristics of tonsilloliths in a time-dependent fashion by follow-up computed tomography (CT).
Tonsilloliths were analyzed in 326 CT scan pair sets of initial and at least two follow-up CT examinations of patients with whole palatine tonsils and various diseases of the oral and maxillofacial regions.
Over the follow-up period, 12.1% of tonsilloliths disappeared. Approximately 26.1% of tonsilloliths changed in size during follow-up, mostly increasing in size. In tonsilloliths that showed enlargement, the mean (± standard deviation) growth rate was 0.61 ± 0.41 mm per year. Approximately 37.3% of tonsilloliths changed position during the follow-up period; of these, movement was toward the respiratory tract in 92% at a mean rate of - 1.38 ± 1.59 mm per year. The calcification levels of almost all tonsilloliths showed dynamic change: HU number increased in 84.3% and decreased in 12.7% of tonsilloliths over the follow-up period. The mean rate of HU increase was 63.8 ± 96.3 HU/year, and the mean rate of HU decrease was - 38.4 ± 66.8 HU/year.
The calcification levels of all tonsilloliths showed dynamic fluctuation, and a tendency for excretion of tonsilloliths from the body. Their dynamics over time suggest that tonsilloliths may be in a permanently active phase which functions to remove foreign matter.
扁桃体结石临床上与口臭和扁桃体脓肿有关。然而，扁桃体结石随时间的动态变化尚不清楚。本研究的目的是通过随访 CT 评估扁桃体结石随时间的特征变化。
对 326 例全扁桃体和口腔颌面各种疾病患者的初始 CT 扫描和至少两次随访 CT 扫描的扁桃体结石进行分析。
在随访期间，12.1%的扁桃体结石消失。大约 26.1%的扁桃体结石在随访过程中大小发生变化，主要是增大。在显示增大的扁桃体结石中，平均（±标准差）增长率为每年 0.61±0.41毫米。在随访期间，大约 37.3%的扁桃体结石位置发生变化；其中，92%的结石向呼吸道移动，平均速度为每年-1.38±1.59 毫米。几乎所有扁桃体结石的钙化水平都显示出动态变化：HU 数在随访期间增加了 84.3%，减少了 12.7%。HU 数增加的平均速度为 63.8±96.3 HU/年，HU 数减少的平均速度为-38.4±66.8 HU/年。
所有扁桃体结石的钙化水平均呈动态波动，且有从体内排出结石的趋势。它们随时间的动态变化表明，扁桃体结石可能处于一种永久活跃的状态，其功能是清除异物。
