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Cone-beam computed tomography and microtomography for alveolar bone measurements

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Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To compare cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and microtomography (micro-CT) for alveolar bone measurements.

Methods

Forty teeth and alveolar bone blocks of five pigs were scanned on a micro-CT with a 9.05 μm pixel size, and on a CBCT device at 0.125 mm voxel size. One height and four thickness measurements were performed twice in standardized slices by two radiologists to verify reliability. Agreement between imaging methods was assessed by correlation coefficients, Bland–Altman plots, and the difference was tested by a Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results

Regarding intra- and interobserver agreements, all bone measurements presented excellent precision values for micro-CT, but interobserver agreement for CBCT presented good to moderate values. Bone height differed about 0.3 mm, but no statistically significant differences were found for the bone thickness measurements.

Conclusion

CBCT underestimated bone height. No statistically significant differences were found for bone thickness. Regions of thin bone tissue may not be visualized on CBCT images. There are risks of underestimating bone measurements with CBCT and assuming bone loss that does not exist clinically. Although the difference of the bone height measurement was small, the clinical relevance must be analyzed on how to interpret CBCT

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Science, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil

    Nathália Ferrare

  2. Oral Radiology, Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Science, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil

    André Ferreira Leite & Paulo Tadeu de Souza Figueiredo

  3. Private Practice, SCN Qd 02 Bl D ent A sala 911, Brasília, DF, 70712-903, Brazil

    Hugo César Pinto Marques Caracas

  4. Department of Genetics and Morphology, Institute of Biological Science, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil

    Ricardo Bentes de Azevedo

  5. Oral Pathology, Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Health Science, University of Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil

    Nilce Santos de Melo

Authors
  1. Nathália Ferrare
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  2. André Ferreira Leite
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  3. Hugo César Pinto Marques Caracas
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  6. Paulo Tadeu de Souza Figueiredo
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Correspondence to André Ferreira Leite.

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Ferrare, N., Leite, A.F., Caracas, H.C.P.M. et al. Cone-beam computed tomography and microtomography for alveolar bone measurements. Surg Radiol Anat 35, 495–502 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1080-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-013-1080-x

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