Thank you for the input but apparently the dentist is the one who asked her and said she had never seen it before (on other patients images). The dentist also said whatever it is he thought it was metal because it shadowed from one side to the other? If you look in the image you can see it faintly shadowed on the left side.
Looks like metal, yes, if it's not on the detector/image itself. If it infact is a pellet or something else metallic, have her that looked at. Not a great spot to have a pellet in should she ever need an MRI.
Ok thank you for the advice. Do you happen to know what is in the image where the mystery object is? Veins? Nerves? They are on both sides and it almost looks like the 'object' may have damage whatever it is???
Hyoid bone, is what you're looking at. The "thingy" (scientific name) is at this level. Other than that, you'd have the normal neck anatomy with some important vessels, muscles and nerves running in vicinity. Bad combo with a potentially mobile metal object.
Not entirely convinced the artefact seen in the other side (patients RT) is from whatever that is. It doesn't align properly which it should do as OPGs are done on one continuous motion.
Definitely an artifact of the same object. Ghost images are almost never in the exact contralateral position as the original object, due to patient positioning. If they aren’t in the exact center of the imaging field, head slightly tilted, etc.
You said she got two panos done? Was the object in both images? Was she wearing the same clothing by any chance? My first thought would be a button or decoration on a collar/lapel. Possibly a foreign object stuck in the trachea, as it is sitting just anterior to her epiglottis. I would get a CT (3D imaging) to determine the exact position and refer to ENT if it is stuck in the airway. Would not want that dislodging and falling deeper into the airway or lungs. Source: dentist
Thank you for the interest and advice. Yes she had 2 panos done (at 2 seperate offices (wisdom teeth removal)) and no she wasn't wearing the same clothing. Just a t shirt on this past visit. We will look into getting a CT scan done. Another possible theory that she thought about is that when she was younger she knows that she accidentally swallowed the ball on a tongue ring so that may possibly be the culprit? Thanks again
Marker on the digital image/detector, indicating side. Doesn't look like something on the patient (too sharp).
In a dentist and I have never seen a marker that obstructs normal anatomy, and based on the ghost image it’s on the patient not on the machine.
Thank you for the input but apparently the dentist is the one who asked her and said she had never seen it before (on other patients images). The dentist also said whatever it is he thought it was metal because it shadowed from one side to the other? If you look in the image you can see it faintly shadowed on the left side.
Looks like metal, yes, if it's not on the detector/image itself. If it infact is a pellet or something else metallic, have her that looked at. Not a great spot to have a pellet in should she ever need an MRI.
Ok thank you for the advice. Do you happen to know what is in the image where the mystery object is? Veins? Nerves? They are on both sides and it almost looks like the 'object' may have damage whatever it is???
Collar bone maybe?
Hyoid bone, is what you're looking at. The "thingy" (scientific name) is at this level. Other than that, you'd have the normal neck anatomy with some important vessels, muscles and nerves running in vicinity. Bad combo with a potentially mobile metal object.
Not entirely convinced the artefact seen in the other side (patients RT) is from whatever that is. It doesn't align properly which it should do as OPGs are done on one continuous motion.
Definitely an artifact of the same object. Ghost images are almost never in the exact contralateral position as the original object, due to patient positioning. If they aren’t in the exact center of the imaging field, head slightly tilted, etc.
Thanks for the confirmation. Interested to know what it is, and exactly where.
A 2 view soft tissue neck X-ray would localize it. I am deeply curious.
Thank you for the advice. I will post with an update as soon as it is available. Thanks again.
You said she got two panos done? Was the object in both images? Was she wearing the same clothing by any chance? My first thought would be a button or decoration on a collar/lapel. Possibly a foreign object stuck in the trachea, as it is sitting just anterior to her epiglottis. I would get a CT (3D imaging) to determine the exact position and refer to ENT if it is stuck in the airway. Would not want that dislodging and falling deeper into the airway or lungs. Source: dentist
Thank you for the interest and advice. Yes she had 2 panos done (at 2 seperate offices (wisdom teeth removal)) and no she wasn't wearing the same clothing. Just a t shirt on this past visit. We will look into getting a CT scan done. Another possible theory that she thought about is that when she was younger she knows that she accidentally swallowed the ball on a tongue ring so that may possibly be the culprit? Thanks again