title: Assessment of repeatability and reproducibility of mental and panoramic mandibular indices on digital panoramic images.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility of the measurements for Mental Index (MI) and Panoramic Mandibular Index (PMI) on digital panoramic images.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, measurements for MI and PMI were carried out independently by two oral and maxillofacial radiologists on twenty digital panoramic images. Each observer repeated the measurements after a period of approximately one week. Paired t-tests and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the levels of association.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All measurements, both within and between observers, demonstrated high correlations and intraobserver agreement was higher than interobserver agreement according to Pearson correlation coefficients (P<0.01). There was no statistically significant difference according to t-test (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has shown that digital panoramic radiographs may be used to evaluate PMI and MI. Reproducibility and repeatability of digital panoramic images were found to be high for measurements of PMI and MI. Additionally, as measuring tool, this software is easy and practical to use and may be preferable for validation of radiomorphometric indices.
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral Diagnosis & Radiology, Ankara, Turkey. mtalkurt@gmail.com
authors.forename: M Toraman
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Alkurt
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Peker
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sanal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008334:Mandible / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000592:standards*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000592:standards*