title: 3D MR imaging of dental cavities-an in vitro study.
abstract: A 3D spin-echo (3D SE) pulse sequence was used on a 4.7 T research MRI system to produce images of extracted human first molar tooth placed in CuSO4 water solution. The maximal resolution achieved was 35 x 63 x 300 microm3 in read and two phase directions, respectively. The high-intensity signal from water in solution together with the lack of signal from mineralized tooth tissue produce very good contrast allowing to visualize topography of outer and inner surfaces of the tooth. The 3D MR data were median filtered, binarized and then divided into separate segments corresponding to the inner tooth cavities and the hard tooth tissue. The topography of the root canals was visualized and the canals volume was calculated. The presented technique may be used for quantitative analysis of the root canal cavities shape and volume. The results of such an analysis may be applied for estimation of the quality of the impressional mapping methods in restorative dentistry or as an alternative non-impressional 3D mapping method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Radiospectroscopy, H.Niewodniczañski Institute of Nuclear Physics, ul.Radzikowskiego 152 31-342 Kraków, Poland. wladyslaw.weglarz@ifj.edu.pl
authors.forename: Władysław P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Weglarz
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanasiewicz
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kupka
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Skórka
authors.forename: Zenon
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sułek
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jasiński
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology*