Diameter of External Carotid Arteries in Patients With Mandibular Osteoradionecrosis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To evaluate the association between osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the mandible and stenosis of the external carotid artery after radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

The computed tomography images of 42 patients (36 men, six women; median age, 64.5 years) treated with RT for head and neck cancer between January 2011 and December 2015 were reviewed. The cross-sectional diameters of the bilateral external carotid arteries were measured on contrast-enhanced images taken after completion of RT.

RESULTS

Nine of the 42 included patients (21.4%) developed ORN after a median interval of 34 months from completion of RT. Univariate analysis revealed that external carotid artery diameter ≤ the median diameter was significantly associated with ORN development (p=0.008 and 0.013). In multivariate analysis, left external carotid artery diameter ≤ the median was significantly associated with ORN development (p=0.023).

CONCLUSION

External carotid artery stenosis was significantly associated with ORN development.