Prevalence and Pattern of Incidental Findings in Lateral Cephalograms – A Retrospective Study
Incidental Findings in Lateral Cephalograms
Abstract
Background- Lateral cephalograms, routinely used in orthodontics, may reveal incidental findings that are often underreported, with previous studies showing considerable variability. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the occurrence of such findings in a Bhopal population across age groups and genders. Materials and methods- A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 571 cephalograms from patients aged 14–45 years over six months was conducted. Incidental findings—including laryngeal calcifications, sella turcica variations, and ponticulus posticus—were recorded and statistically evaluated using the Chi-square test (SPSS v25). Results-Overall prevalence was 61.9%. Sella turcica bridging was observed in 39.9%, laryngeal calcifications in 36.6%, and ponticulus posticus in 18.4%. Females showed higher prevalence of sella turcica changes and laryngeal calcifications (51.5%). Laryngeal calcification demonstrated a highly significant association with age (χ² = 73.001, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Recognizing these variations supports accurate diagnosis and awareness of their clinical relevance.
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