Prevalence of calcified carotid artery atheromas on panoramic radiographs of renal stone patients.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of calcified carotid artery atheromas detected on panoramic radiographs of patients with renal stones and to assess the correlation of renal stones and carotid artery calcifications (CAC). Panoramic radiographs of 120 renal stone patients (76 males and 44 females) and 120 controls (68 males and 52 females) were examined for any calcifications in the carotid artery. The mean age of the patients with renal stones and controls was 40.6±7.8 years and 41.1±6.7 years, respectively. A total of 25 (20.8%) patients with renal stones and 16 (12.3%) patients from the control group showed CAC. The calcifications were however higher in the patients with renal stones, but there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between the two groups. CAC was found in 15 males and ten females with renal stones and nine males and seven females of the control group, and this difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). In the present study, no significant relationship was found between the presence of CAC in the patients with renal stones and the control group. However, there was a trend for higher prevalence of CAC in renal stone patients.