Evaluation of midline lingual canal using Doppler ultrasonography and CBCT: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The main arterial supply to the anterior segment of the mandible consists of a single terminal branch from the anastomosis of the left and right sublingual arteries that enter the lingual foramen and courses through the midline lingual canal (MLC). The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between the diameter of the MLC by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and quantitative measurements of the anastomotic arterial branch as obtained by Doppler ultrasonography (USG). METHODS: A total of 24 patients (mean age, 48.4 years; range, 20–73 years) with CBCT scans were included in the study. The diameter of MLC was measured on the axial CBCT sections. The volumetric flow rate and the diameter of the artery were assessed using Doppler USG. Statistical analyses were conducted using Student’s t-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r). RESULTS: The diameter of the MLC ranged from 0.44 to 1.52 mm. The diameter and the volumetric flow rate of the artery were 1.1–1.9 mm and 1.3–16.9 ml/min, respectively. The MLC diameter was positively correlated with both arterial diameter (r = 0.404, P = 0.05) and arterial blood-flow rate (r = 0.447, P = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: Doppler USG is a safe and effective method for visualizing and measuring the anastomotic arterial branch in the lingual foramen region. The diameter of the MLC on CBCT may indicate the vascularity of the interforaminal region of the mandible.