RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the prevalence and morphologic characteristics of ponticulus posticus (PP) by using cervical 3-dimensional (3-D) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan images. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted by selecting cervical 3-D CBCT images of 698 patients, which were examined for the presence and types of PP. RESULTS: In 257 patients, 438 PPs, complete or partial, bilateral or unilateral, were identified on the 698 cervical 3-D CBCT scans; therefore, the prevalence was 36.8%. Bilateral complete PP and partial PP were observed in 6.3% and 16.2% of subjects, respectively. There was a significant difference in the prevalence between males and females (P = .001) and between the right and left sides between males and females, but not between age groups. CONCLUSION: Ponticulus posticus is a relatively common anomaly in this Turkish sample, which may have implications for those who perform clinical procedures on the upper cervical spine.
RESUMO
This study aimed to determine if there is a possible relationship concerning the presence of ponticulus posticus (PP) in patients with elongated styloid process (ESP) on three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. The presence or absence of the PP (whether partial or complete) was determined and noted as a positive or negative finding. Then, the patients with PP were evaluated for ESP. For this purpose, 3-D CBCT scanning digital images of 542 patients having ESP (247 males and 295 females) were examined retrospectively. There was a significant relationship between the presence of PP and ESP (P=.03). The results of this study suggest that there is a significant correlation between the presence of PP and ESP. To our knowledge, this is the first study investigating the relationship between the two disorders in the literature.
