CBCT Assessment of Pneumatization of the Articular Tubercle and the Roof of the Glenoid Fossa: a retrospective study

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of the pneumatization of the articular tubercle (PAT) and glenoid fossa (PGF) concerning the sex, laterality and locularity in a sample of Egyptian population using CBCT images.
Subjects and methods: 210 CBCT scans (74 males and 136 females) were assessed retrospectively by an oral and maxillofacial radiologist. The presence of pneumatization was identified bilaterally on a serial of reformatted sagittal cuts at the articu‌lar tubercle and the roof of the glenoid fossa. Age and sex for all patients were recorded as well as the type and laterality for the pneumatiza‌tion cases.
Results: 19.1 % of the scans exhibited PAT and 35.24% exhibited PGF. Of the scans found with PAT, 50% were unilateral (20% on the right and 30% on the left) and 50% were bilateral. Moreover, 15 of the PAT cases were unilocular and 28 were multilocular with 3 cases showing different locularity between sides. For PGF, 41.9% of the PGF cases were unilateral (13.5% on the right and 28.4% on the left) and 58.1% were bilateral. Only 16 of the PGF cases were unilocular, while 61 were multilocular with 3 cases also showing different locularity between sides. There was no significant difference between both sexes regarding the PAT or PGF prevalence, laterality or locularity.
Conclusion: In the studied sample, the prevalence of PAT and PGF was 19.1 and 35.24% respectively. The prevalence was not linked to sex or laterality or locularity.