Rotational panoramic radiography is a well established radiographic technique which is widely used in dentistry. This technique displays the entire maxillomandibular region on a single film. With the development of digital computers and suitable radiation detectors, it has become possible to develop digital systems for the recording and display of x-ray images. The purpose of the proposed research is to evaluate an electronic system which has been developed for producing a panoramic x-ray image of the maxillo-facial complex. Using an electronic sensor to capture the image in a digital format offers several advantages over film-based systems: 1) a digital system requires no processing system, making immediate viewing of the x-ray possible; 2) since the image is in digital format, image processing routines can be used to analyze or enhance the image; 3) the cost of storing and retrieving the image is reduced and transmission to remote locations is possible; and 4) greater sensitivity of electronic sensors should make possible a reduction of x-ray dose to the patient. Preliminary results suggest that there is a 5-10 fold reduction in the dosage necessary. In Phase I the electronic imaging system will be evaluated as to image quality, magnification, distortion, and patient absorbed dose. In Phase II the system will be evaluated in a large scale clinical setting and the potential for intraorbital capability will be explored.
| Dove, S B; McDavid, W D; Welander, U et al. (1992) Preliminary evaluation of a digital system for rotational panoramic radiography. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 73:623-32 |
