The Evaluation of Incidentally Detected Head and Neck Region Soft Tissue Calcifications and Ossifications on Computed Tomography Images

Abstract

Aims: Unorganized accumulation of calcium stored in soft tissues is termed as heterotopic calcification, organized accumulation of it is termed as heterotopic ossification. The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively all head and neck region soft tissue calcifications/ossifications that are detected incidentally on computed tomography (CT) images of Turkish patients and to analyze them according to age and gender. Methods: CT images of 917 patients were retrospectively analyzed in terms of the presence of head and neck soft tissue calcification/ossification, and demographic characteristics (age and gender) of the patients were recorded. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistical methods and the relationship between soft tissue calcification/ossification and gender was evaluated with the chi-square test.Results: Soft tissue calcification/ossification was detected on CT images of 214 (mean age= 61.35±14.7 years, 50.5% female, 49.5% male) of 917 patients examined (23.3%). Among the calcifications/ossifications detected, tonsillolith (n=120, 56.1%), arterial calcifications (n=61, 28.5%) and sialolith (n=15, 7%) were determined in the first three rows. Tonsillolith was significantly more common in female and ossified stylohyoid ligament (OSL) was significantly more common in male (p<0.05).Conclusions: Soft tissue calcifications/ossifications can be detected incidentally in radiographic images taken from head and neck region for various purposes. In the study, tonsillolith was the most common soft tissue calcification on CT images. It was found that the tonsillolith was statistically higher in female, and the OSL in male. These calcifications/ossifications were most frequently found in patients over age 40.