INCIDENTAL FINDINGS IN THE CERVICAL SPINE IN CBCT IMAGES

Abstract

Background The cervical spine is an area commonly included in images of the oral and maxillofacial area. Therefore, oral and maxillofacial radiologists should be familiar with variations and abnormalities of this structure and should include any findings in their imaging reports. Objective To examine the prevalence and nature of incidental findings in and around the cervical spine in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. Material and Methods A retrospective review of the CBCT cases was conducted at a university-based imaging center. Data on incidental findings in the cervical spine were collected. Other relevant data, such as patient age, gender, and dentate state, were also collected. Results One hundred and ten cases were reported with incidental findings in the cervical spine out of 569, a prevalence of 19%. The most common finding was degenerative joint disease (DJD) (81%), which was often seen in females in their fourth decade of life. Discussion The prevalence of cervical spine incidental findings is the current study is consistent with other published studies.1 However, the high incidence of DJD in a relatively young patient population is uncommon, and we believe it may be related to the high rate of motor vehicle accidents that are the primary cause of death in the region.2 Conclusions This study confirms the relatively common occurrence of incidental findings in the cervical spines in CBCT examinations made for dental purposes and highlights the importance of recognizing and documenting these findings.