Dental X-Rays of Carotid Artery Not Enough to Estimate Stroke Risk
Data incomplete and inconclusive, researchers say
CHICAGO, April 20, 2007—Detection of calcified tissue in the carotid artery by dental x-rays is not enough evidence to estimate a patient’s stroke risk was the conclusion of a systematic literature review published in this month’s Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability among adults in the U.S. It occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen and nutrients to the brain bursts or becomes clogged by a blood clot or some other mass.
Panoramic radiography is a procedure used in dental practice for detecting dental disease. According to the JADA article authors, a trend toward using panoramic x-rays to identify stroke-prone patients has become a much-debated health care issue over the past two decades.
In their literature review, the authors conducted an electronic search using 11 databases to evaluate evidence that links calcified carotid artery atheroma (CCAA) detection on panoramic radiographs and the precipitation of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). The search identified 54 articles for the review. Only one study satisfied the authors’ inclusion criteria and found no significant difference in the incidence of cerebrovascular diseases between subjects with CCAA and subjects without CCAA.
Read the complete media release on the ADA website
CHICAGO, April 20, 2007—Detection of calcified tissue in the carotid artery by dental x-rays is not enough evidence to estimate a patient’s stroke risk was the conclusion of a systematic literature review published in this month’s Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).
Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability among adults in the U.S. It occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen and nutrients to the brain bursts or becomes clogged by a blood clot or some other mass.
Panoramic radiography is a procedure used in dental practice for detecting dental disease. According to the JADA article authors, a trend toward using panoramic x-rays to identify stroke-prone patients has become a much-debated health care issue over the past two decades.
In their literature review, the authors conducted an electronic search using 11 databases to evaluate evidence that links calcified carotid artery atheroma (CCAA) detection on panoramic radiographs and the precipitation of cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). The search identified 54 articles for the review. Only one study satisfied the authors’ inclusion criteria and found no significant difference in the incidence of cerebrovascular diseases between subjects with CCAA and subjects without CCAA.
Read the complete media release on the ADA website
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