Evaluation of Anatomical Structures, Panoramic Radiomorphometric Indices, Soft Tissue Calcifications and Fractal Dimension in HIV Individuals

Purpose: To evaluate the radiographic findings of anatomical structures, qualitative radiomorphometric indices, soft tissue calcifications, and fractal dimension in panoramic radiographs of HIV-positive (test group) compared with HIV-negative individuals (control group). Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed 200 panoramic radiographs, of which 103 were from test and 97 control groups. The images were obtained from the same center and analyzed by six specialists, who assessed the visibility of structures such as the mandibular canals, mental foramina, and maxillary sinus cortices on both the right and left sides. The visibility was classified as fully visible, partially visible, or not visible. The mandibular cortical index was categorized as C1, C2, or C3, and the thickness of the mandibular cortices was measured. The presence of soft tissue calcifications, including tonsilloliths, sialoliths, and atheromas, was also evaluated in the images. Additionally, fractal analysis using the box-counting method was performed. Results: When comparing the visibility of anatomical structures, mandibular cortical index, soft tissue calcifications, and estimation of mandibular cortical thickness, no statistically significant difference was observed between the groups (p > 0.05). A statistically significant difference was found only in the mandibular angle region when comparing the fractal analysis regions of interest between the test and control groups. Conclusion: The radiomorphometric indices showed no significant differences between HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals, indicating that the bone architecture of the two groups is similar.