Quality of digital pre-implant tomography: comparison of film-screen images with storage phosphor images at normal and low dose.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this pilot study was to compare the image quality of a storage phosphor system with that of conventional film-screen in pre-implant conventional tomography, and to test the influence of radiation dose on image quality in the storage phosphor system.


METHODS
Cross-sectional conventional tomographic images (Scanora) technique) were obtained on 11 patients with film-screen and with storage phosphor image plates (Digora) PCT) at normal and low doses. Ten observers graded the visibility of anatomical structures of importance for implant planning. A three-step rating scale was used, where -1 =worse, 0=equal and 1=better than the reference image.


RESULTS
Although image quality was graded as equally good in the majority (59%) of images, the storage phosphor system scored significantly lower than film-screen (-0.37 vs 0.00, respectively) for all the images. Low dose storage phosphor images were rated significantly lower (-0.21) than normal dose images (0.00).


CONCLUSIONS
In the majority of patients, anatomic structures of importance for implant planning are visualized equally well on storage phosphor and film-screen images. However, where differences do exist, storage phosphor images score lower than film-screen images. Dose reduction in the storage phosphor system had a negative influence on image quality.
Ekestubbe
A
A
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Odontology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. ekestubbe@odontologi.gu.se
Gröndahl
H-G
HG
Molander
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; D015921:Dental Implants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015588:Observer Variation; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital; D014056:Tomography, X-Ray; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens
D015921:Dental Implants