Image quality assessment and radiation doses in intraoral radiography.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate 2 very important aspects of dental radiographic image quality, exposure time settings and film processing, and to assess their relation to radiation dose.


METHODS
Radiographic images of a dental image quality test tool were obtained in 108 dental practices. Image quality and film processing were evaluated both subjectively and objectively by comparing films developed by the dentists with films developed under optimum conditions. The data consisted of measured values of optical density, which were used to obtain image contrast, and scores of image quality and film processing, which were based on criteria set by 2 independent oral radiologists. Entrance surface dose was also measured for the technique used at each dental practice.


RESULTS
The results indicate a great variability of exposure time settings used by the dentists for imaging the phantom. Film processing was inadequate in most of the practices, which resulted in poor image quality and increased patient radiation doses. The mean entrance surface dose for imaging the phantom was 3.8 mGy.


CONCLUSIONS
Intraoral imaging techniques and film processing must be standardized to improve image quality and further reduce patient radiation doses.
Yakoumakis
E N
EN
Department of Medical Physics, University of Athens Medical School, Greece.
Tierris
C E
CE
Stefanou
E P
EP
Phanourakis
I G
IG
Proukakis
C C
CC
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D006801:Humans; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D011861:Radiography, Dental; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013679:Technology, Radiologic; D013997:Time Factors; D014962:X-Ray Film