title: Cervical soft tissue imaging using a mobile CBCT scanner with a flat panel detector in comparison with corresponding CT and MRI data sets.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate soft tissue image quality of a mobile cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner with an integrated flat-panel detector.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight fresh human cadavers were used in this study. For evaluation of soft tissue visualization, CBCT data sets and corresponding computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data sets were acquired. Evaluation was performed with the help of 10 defined cervical anatomical structures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The statistical analysis of the scoring results of 3 examiners revealed the CBCT images to be of inferior quality regarding the visualization of most of the predefined structures. Visualization without a significant difference was found regarding the demarcation of the vertebral bodies and the pyramidal cartilages, the arteriosclerosis of the carotids (compared with CT), and the laryngeal skeleton (compared with MRI). Regarding arteriosclerosis of the carotids compared with MRI, CBCT proved to be superior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The integration of a flat-panel detector improves soft tissue visualization using a mobile CBCT scanner.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. heiland@uke.uni-hamburg.de
authors: Max
authors: M
authors: Heiland
authors: Philipp
authors: P
authors: Pohlenz
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Blessmann
authors: Christian R
authors: CR
authors: Habermann
authors: Lars
authors: L
authors: Oesterhelweg
authors: Philipp C
authors: PC
authors: Begemann
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Schmidgunst
authors: Felix A S
authors: FA
authors: Blake
authors: Klaus
authors: K
authors: Püschel
authors: Rainer
authors: R
authors: Schmelzle
authors: Dirk
authors: D
authors: Schulze
mesh_terms: D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods