title: Use of the direct magnification technique in dental radiology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential use of the direct magnification (DIMA) technique in dental radiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Radiographs of anatomical specimens and extracted teeth were prepared under clinical conditions using a microfocus (8 and 16 microns focal diameter) X-ray tube. Entrance dose was measured using an ionization chamber. Image quality was assessed in a single-blind test of pairs of images of extracted teeth with and without caries by ten observers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 7.3 x magnification the values for exposure time and entrance dose were comparable with those for conventional intraoral radiography, 0.1 and 0.25 s and 1.5 and 2.9 mSv respectively. Diagnostic accuracy using the DIMA images was significantly (P < 0.0001) better compared with dental radiographs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DIMA images with significantly enhanced diagnostic accuracy can be obtained at comparable exposure times and entrance doses to conventional intraoral radiographs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Medical University, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Wichmann
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: von Brenndorff
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011858:Radiographic Magnification / Q000379:methods*; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013679:Technology, Radiologic