Imaging Sci Dent.  2013 Dec;43(4):283-287. 10.5624/isd.2013.43.4.283.

Prevalence and characteristics of pneumatized articular tubercle: First large series in Iranian people

• Shokri A
• Noruzi-Gangachin M
• Baharvand
• Mortazavi

• KMID: 2229614
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5624/isd.2013.43.4.283

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was performed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of pneumatized articular tubercle or eminence among a defined group of Iranian people.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Digital panoramic radiographs of 1694 patients in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Hamadan Dental School, Iran were evaluated retrospectively to detect the above lesion. Finally, 1563 radiographs were selected according to inclusion criteria. Then, a review was done of 10 large case series found using a MEDLINE search of the literature. Chi-squared test was used to analyze the differences in variables such as age, gender, laterality, and locularity in our case series.
RESULTS
The average age of our samples was 32.6+/-7.63 years. Pneumatized articular tubercle was found in 98 cases, representing a prevalence of 6.2% with a mean age of 22.8+/-7.9 and a range of 8 to 60 years. Sixty-four (65.3%) pneumatized articular tubercles were unilateral, with 30 lesions on the right and 34 on the left side. Bilateral lesions were found in 34 (34.7%) patients. 52 (53.06%) of the pneumatized articular tubercles were of the unilocular type and 46 (46.94%) were multilocular. The results showed no statistically significant differences regarding age (p=0.454), gender (p=0.634), laterality (p=0.252), or locularity (p=0.807) among the samples.
CONCLUSION
Among ten large case series from other countries, the prevalence of pneumatized articular tubercle (6.2%) in Iranian patients was higher than that of all eight of the case series that used the same detection method as the present study of panoramic radiography.

Keyword

Temporal Bone; Mastoid; Tubercle; Iran

MeSH Terms

Humans
Iran
Mastoid
Methods
Prevalence*
Radiography, Panoramic
Retrospective Studies
Schools, Dental
Temporal Bone

Figure

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  Fig. 1 A cropped panoramic radiograph shows a unilocular pneumatized articular tubercle.

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  Fig. 2 A cropped panoramic radiograph shows a multilocular pneumatized articular tubercle.

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