Prevalence of Intraorbital Trochlear Calcification in the Korean Population

Purpose: This study analyzed the prevalence and risk factors associated with trochlear calcification.Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of 1,070 patients who underwent orbital computed tomography. Imaging findings, demographic data (age and sex), systemic diseases, medical history, and blood test results were reviewed.Results: Among the 1,070 patients, trochlear calcification was identified in 267 individuals (25.0%). The prevalence was lowest in patients under 10 years of age (0.0%) and significantly higher in all age groups from their 20s to 80s, compared with teenagers. The incidence of trochlear calcification was significantly higher in males than in females (p = 0.009). No significant associations were observed with diabetes (p = 0.74) or hypertension (p = 0.92) after adjusting for age. However, patients with autoimmune diseases showed a significantly higher prevalence of calcification (p = 0.004). Blood test parameters, including HbA1c, serum glucose, alkaline phosphatase, ionized calcium, corrected calcium, and phosphate, were not significantly associated with the presence of trochlear calcification.Conclusions: Trochlear calcification is an infrequent condition, with prevalence increasing with age and being more common in males. Awareness of trochlear calcification is essential when interpreting orbital computed tomography scans to prevent misdiagnosis as other pathological conditions.