Exposure factors and screen-film combinations in temporomandibular joint radiography.
Exposure factors and screen-film combinations providing optimal quality are identified for transcranial and transpharyngeal temporomandibular joint views, using conventional intra-oral radiographic equipment without grids. Standardized transcranial and transpharyngeal views, using a fixed whole cadaver head, were performed. Ten readily available screen-film combinations, ranging in nominal speed 20-600, were exposed over 40-100 kV. Films were blindly and independently order ranked by three observers on the basis of sharpness and contrast of cortical outline, trabecular detail, and visualization of adjacent bony structures. Preferred screen-film combinations as a function of kV, preferred kV levels for each screen-film combination, and overall ranking irrespective of kV or screen-film combination, were established. Accepting the use of the lowest radiation dose possible for diagnostically useful radiographs but imposing arbitrarily an upper limit of 20 mGy, it was found that exposures between 50 kV and 70 kV gave the optimal result for both techniques. The amount of scattered radiation in the emergent beam differs greatly between the two techniques. The most favoured combinations for the transpharyngeal technique used screens of fine resolution. Min-r/ortho M screen and film with nominal speed 40 at 60 kV gave 8.0 mGy skin dosage at 0.8 seconds exposure; the same combination at 50 kV was the most favoured, but with skin dosage calculated at 16.7 mGy for 3.0 seconds exposure. For the transcranial technique, medium speed screens providing better differentiation of scattered radiation beams and increased speeds were preferred. Most favoured for image quality was the Lanex Fine/T-Mat G combination at 60 kV giving 17.5 mGy skin radiation dose at 1.75 seconds exposure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Thorburn
D N
DN
Dental Department, Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand.
Stockdill
D A
DA
Kenyon
R P
RP
Cowan
I
I
Ferguson
M M
MM
D001175:Arthrography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014962:X-Ray Film; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens