title: Digital radiography: an overview.
abstract: Since the discovery of X-rays in 1895, film has been the primary medium for capturing, displaying, and storing radiographic images. It is a technology that dental practitioners are the most familiar and comfortable with in terms of technique and interpretation. Digital radiography is the latest advancement in dental imaging and is slowly being adopted by the dental profession. Digital imaging incorporates computer technology in the capture, display, enhancement, and storage of direct radiographic images. Digital imaging offers some distinct advantages over film, but like any emerging technology, it presents new and different challenges for the practitioner to overcome. This article presents an overview of digital imaging including basic terminology and comparisons with film-based imaging. The principles of direct and indirect digital imaging modalities, intraoral and extraoral applications, image processing, and diagnostic efficacy will be discussed. In addition, the article will provide a list of questions dentists should consider prior to purchasing digital imaging systems for their practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Medicine & Radiology, School of Dentistry, Indiana University, Indianapolis, USA.
authors.forename: Edwin T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Parks
authors.forename: Gail F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D010758:Phosphorus; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014962:X-Ray Film
chemical_list: D010758:Phosphorus