• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images to determine the prevalence of calcifications in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and to evaluate any associations between the presence of such calcifications and degenerative bone alterations of the TMJ, sex, or age. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, 1,058 CBCT exams were analyzed, and data regarding the presence and quantity of calcifications, the affected side, any degenerative alterations of the condyle, sex, and age were collected. To evaluate associations between the presence of calcifications and sex or age, the Fisher exact test or the Spearman correlation coefficient, respectively, was used. To assess the association between the presence of calcifications and joint bone alterations, the chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used. The significance level adopted was 5% (P<0.05). Results: Twenty-eight patients (2.7%) presented with TMJ calcifications, including 23 women (82.1%) and 5 men (17.9%). Significant correlations were found between the presence of calcifications and age (P<0.05) and between the presence of calcifications and the presence of condylar alterations (P<0.05), with 73.2% of patients with bone alterations having TMJ calcifications. Conclusion: It may be concluded that, although rare (with a prevalence of only 2.7%), intra-articular calcifications are associated with both degenerative bone alterations and age.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.277-281
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• 2018

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between sleep bruxism(SB) and pulpal calcifications in young women. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 female participants between 20 and 31 years of age who were referred to our radiology clinic for a dental check-up, including 59 SB and 41 non-SB patients, were sampled for the analysis. SB was diagnosed based on the American Academy of Sleep Medicine criteria. All teeth were evaluated on digital panoramic radiographs to detect pulpal calcifications, except third molars, teeth with root canal treatment, and teeth with root resorption. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for pulpal calcifications. The Spearman correlation coefficient was applied and the Pearson chi-square test was used for categorical variables. To test intra-examiner reproducibility, Cohen kappa analysis was applied. P values <.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. Results: A total of 2800 teeth were evaluated (1652 teeth from SB patients and 1148 from non-SB patients), and 61% of patients had at least 1 dental pulpal calcification. No statistically significant relationship was found between SB and pulpal calcifications (P>0.05). In SB patients, the total number of pulpal calcifications was 129, while in non-SB patients, it was 84. Binary logistic analysis showed that SB was not a risk factor for the presence of pulpal calcifications(odds ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.52-2.69, P>.05). Conclusion: No relationship was found between SB and pulpal calcifications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.81 no.2
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• pp.324-336
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• 2020

Cardiovascular calcifications can occur in various cardiovascular diseases and can serve as a biomarker for cardiovascular event prediction. Advances in CT have enabled evaluation of calcifications in cardiovascular structures not only on ECG-gated CT but also on non-ECG-gated CT. Therefore, many studies have been conducted on the clinical relevance of cardiovascular calcifications in patients. In this study, we divided cardiovascular calcifications into three classes, i.e., coronary artery, thoracic aorta, and cardiac valve calcifications, which are closely associated with cardiovascular events. Further, we briefly described pericardial calcifications, which can be found incidentally. Since the start of lung cancer screening in Korea in the second half of 2019, the number of non-enhanced, non-ECG-gated, low-dose chest CT has been increasing, and the number of incidentally found cardiovascular calcifications has also been increasing. Therefore, understanding the relevance of cardiovascular calcifications on non-enhanced, non-ECG-gated, low-dose chest CT and their proper reporting are important for radiologists.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.158-160
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• 2010

The authors present a case of multiple intracranial calcifications after the procedure of external ventricular drain placement in a 50-year-old man with pericallosal artery aneurysm. We believe that calcifications formed dust that had fallen into the track during the external ventricular drain procedure. The clinical features and radiological findings are presented with review of literature.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.163-169
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• 2013

Purpose: Tonsilloliths are calcifications found in the crypts of the palatal tonsils and can be detected on routine panoramic examinations. This study was performed to highlight the benefits of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in the diagnosis of tonsilloliths appearing bilaterally on panoramic radiographs. Materials and Methods: The sample group consisted of 7 patients who had bilateral radiopaque lesions at the area of the ascending ramus on panoramic radiographs. CBCT images for every patient were obtained from both sides of the jaw to determine the exact locations of the lesions and to rule out other calcifications. The calcifications were evaluated on the CBCT images using Ez3D2009 software. Additionally, the obtained images in DICOM format were transferred to ITK SNAP 2.4.0 pc software for semiautomatic segmentation. Segmentation was performed using contrast differences between the soft tissues and calcifications on grayscale images, and the volume in mm3 of the segmented three dimensional models were obtained. Results: CBCT scans revealed that what appeared on panoramic radiographs as bilateral images were in fact unilateral lesions in 2 cases. The total volume of the calcifications ranged from 7.92 to $302.5mm^3$. The patients with bilaterally multiple and large calcifications were found to be symptomatic. Conclusion: The cases provided the evidence that tonsilloliths should be considered in the differential diagnosis of radiopaque masses involving the mandibular ramus, and they highlight the need for a CBCT scan to differentiate pseudo- or ghost images from true bilateral pathologies.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1220-1229
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• 2020

Objective: Stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) is considered a reliable alternative to surgical biopsy for suspicious calcifications. In most cases, the management of flat epithelial atypia (FEA) and atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) after VABB with residual calcifications requires surgical excision. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of pathology of non-calcified specimens on the underestimation of malignancy. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 1147 consecutive cases of stereotactic VABB of suspicious calcifications without mass from January 2010 to December 2016 and identified 46 (4.0%) FEA and 52 (4.5%) ADH cases that were surgically excised for the retrieval of residual calcifications. Mammographic features and pathology of the calcified and non-calcified specimens were reviewed. Results: Seventeen specimens (17.3%) were upgraded to malignancy. Mammographic features associated with the underestimation of malignancy were calcification extent (> 34.5 mm: odds ratio = 6.059, p = 0.026). According to the pathology of calcified versus non-calcified specimens, four risk groups were identified: Group A (ADH vs. high-risk lesions), Group B (ADH vs. non-high-risk lesions), Group C (FEA vs. high-risk lesions), and Group D (FEA vs. non-high-risk lesions). The lowest underestimation rate was observed in Group D (Group A vs. Group B vs. Group C vs. Group D: 35.0% vs. 20.0% vs. 15.0% vs. 3.6%, p = 0.041, respectively). Conclusion: Considering that the calcification extent and pathology of non-calcified specimens may be beneficial in determining the likelihood of malignancy underestimation, excision after FEA or ADH diagnosis by VABB is required, except for the diagnoses of FEA coexisting without atypia lesions in non-calcified specimens.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.621-625
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• 2004

Bilateral striopallidodentate calcinosis, popularly referred to as Fahr's disease, is a disorder radiologically characterized by bilateral calcifications of the basal ganglia, thalami, dentate nuclei of the cerebellum, and the white matter of the cerebral hemisphere without serum calcium-phosphorus metabolism and related endocrinologic abnormalities. Intracranial calcifications are easily visible as high-density on CT. On magnetic resonance images, the calcifications exhibit different signal intensities. The differences in signal intensity are thought to be related to the stage of the disease, differences in calcium metabolism, and the volume of the calcium deposit. Based on literature review, I report the case of a 63 year man with bilateral symmetrical calcification in the basal ganglia, dentate nuclei of the cerebellum, and the white matter of the cerebral hemisphere who present a 5 year history of progressive dysarthria associated with left thalamic infarction.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1147-1160
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• 2018

Soft-tissue calcification refers to a broad category of lesions. Calcifications are frequently identified by radiologists in daily practice. Using a simple algorithm based on the distribution pattern of the lesions and detailed clinical information, these calcified lesions can be systematically evaluated. The distribution pattern of the calcific deposits enables initial division into calcinosis circumscripta and calcinosis universalis. Using laboratory test results (serum calcium and phosphate levels) and clinical history, calcinosis circumscripta can be further categorized into four subtypes: dystrophic, iatrogenic, metastatic, and idiopathic calcification. This pictorial essay presents a systematic approach to the imaging features of soft-tissue calcifications and related diseases.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.467-470
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• 2017

Extensive mitral annulus calcifications are considered a contraindication for valve surgery. We describe the case of a 76-year-old female with severe mitral and aortic stenosis associated with extensive calcifications of the heart. The patient underwent an open mitroaortic valve replacement using transcatheter aortic valve implantation with an Edwards SAPIEN XT valve (Edwards Lifesciences Corp., Irvine, CA, USA) in the mitral position. The aortic valve was replaced using a stentless valve prosthesis (LivaNova S OLO; LivaNova PLC, London, UK). Postoperative echocardiography showed that the prosthetic valve was in the correct position and there were no paravalvular leaks. A bailout open transcatheter valve implantation can be considered a safe and effective option in selected cases with an extensively calcified mitral valve.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.137-141
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the interobserver agreement on the detection of carotid artery calcifications on panoramic radiographs. Materials and Methods: This study consisted of panoramic radiographs acquired from 634 male patients of the age of 50 years or older. Having excluded carotids of no diagnostic quality, 1008 carotids from the panoramic radiographs of the patients were interpreted by two oral and maxillofacial radiologists independently for the presence of carotid artery calcifications. Statistical analysis was used to calculate the interobserver agreement. Results: Interobserver agreement was obtained for 932 carotids (92.4%). Inconsistent interpretation of 76 carotids (7.5%) between the two observers was found. Cohen's kappa value was 0.688 (p<0.001). Conclusion: The probability of a match between the two observers was substantially high.