Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the type and frequency of incidental findings (IFs) in the maxillofacial region of CBCT scans with different sizes of field of view (FOV), and the clinical relevance of the findings was classified as requirement or not of monitoring, treatment or referral to a specialist. Methods: We analyzed 150 CBCT examinations, divided according to the size of the FOV into 3 groups: 6-cm maxilla, 6-cm mandible and 13-cm maxilla/mandible. The IFs were categorized into six areas: airway, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), bone, lesions of the jaws, teeth and soft-tissue calcifications.
Results:The results showed 560 IFs that were found in 92% of the samples studied. A total of 225 IFs were found in examinations of the maxilla group, 99 findings in the mandible group and 236 findings in the maxilla/mandible group. The IFs were most frequent in the tooth zone (27.32%), followed by airways, soft-tissue calcifications, TMJ, bone, lesions of the jaw and other findings. We also found that 43.46% of the IFs did not need treatment or referral to another professional, 28.97% findings required the acquisition of new images for monitoring and 27.55% findings needed treatment or referral. Conclusions: The present study confirmed the high frequency of IFs in CBCT scans. It was concluded that it is necessary to interpret and report the total volume obtained in CBCT examinations and not only the purpose of the examination region.
The Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) and the Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) are conditions that cause significant abnormalities of jaw. This study was conducted in anticipation of evaluating the morphology of interforaminal region and identify the anatomic variations: anterior loop and mandibular incisive canal, in individuals with PRS and TCS by cone-beam computed tomography and compare them with individuals without craniofacial anomalies. By applying the t-test, the results showed no statistically significant difference, allowing to infer that there are no significant differences in interforaminal mandible morphology between groups and indicated that the prevalence and location of the studied anatomic variations are consistent with those described in literature.
The difference in the measurements can be explained perhaps because individuals with TCS have glossoptosis and changes on retrognathic mandible, which would affect the position of the GT.
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