Imaging Sci Dent.  2014 Jun;44(2):137-141. 10.5624/isd.2014.44.2.137.

Interobserver agreement on the diagnosis of carotid artery calcifications on panoramic radiographs

• Yoon SJ
• Shim SK
• Lee JS
• Kang BC
• Lim HJ
• Kim MS
• Kim SH

• KMID: 1799595
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5624/isd.2014.44.2.137

Abstract

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.

Keyword

Atherosclerosis; Radiography, Panoramic; Diagnosis

MeSH Terms

Atherosclerosis
Carotid Arteries*
Diagnosis*
Humans
Male
Radiography, Panoramic

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 A panoramic radiograph reveals carotid artery calcification of a 58-year-old male. Bilateral carotid artery calcifications are seen as radiopaque nodular masses and verticolinear masses adjacent to or just below the intervertebral space between C3 and C4.

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