Feasibility of local CT of dental tissues.
OBJECTIVE
To prove the feasibility of a local CT system as a method of CT suitable for use in dentistry.


METHODS
Using an experimental set-up consisting of an X-ray source, a turntable and a charge-coupled device (CCD) detector connected to a PC, CT scans were made of a single molar and a dry mandible. Slices were reconstructed using filtered backprojection. An experimental comparison was made between a full CT geometry and a local CT geometry.


RESULTS
Horizontal and vertical slices through the mandible were obtained showing the internal structure of a molar and the surrounding bone. The slices show good contrast and details. A computer experiment gave visual evidence that slices obtained by local CT are not substantially different from slices obtained from a full CT set-up with respect to resolution.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results obtained so far, local CT of dental structures appears to be a promising diagnostic instrument.
van Daatselaar
A N
AN
Department of Oral Radiology, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Louwesweg 1, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.v.daatselaar@acta.nl
Dunn
S M
SM
Spoelder
H J W
HJ
Germans
D M
DM
Renambot
L
L
Bal
H E
HE
van der Stelt
P F
PF
D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008838:Microcomputers; D008963:Molar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*