Detection and size differentiation of simulated tooth root defects using flat-panel volume computerized tomography (fpVCT).
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to evaluate the capacity of flat-panel volume computerized tomography (fpVCT) to enable the observer to detect and differentiate 3 different sizes of simulated tooth root defects in radiographs.


METHODS
Three simulated tooth root defects of different sizes and a defect-free area (160 sites in total) were randomly distributed on the buccal and lingual surface of 20 mandibular premolar roots of Sus scrofa domestica with round burs. For the imaging of the specimens, an fpVCT prototype was used. Findings were evaluated by 3 observers.


RESULTS
Cavity 0 (no lesion) was correctly identified in 53%, cavity 1 in 69%, cavity 2 in 96%, and cavity 3 in 89%. Altogether, the simulated cavities were classified in a correct manner in 77%. The values were compared using receiver operating characteristic curves. The area under the curve (AUC) for cavity 0 versus the pooled results for cavities 1-3 was found to be 0.72. The AUC for the pooled results for 0-2 (no pathologic impact) versus cavity 3 (potential pathologic impact) was 0.94. There was no significant dependence of the results on the observer (P = .37). Results with P < .05 were considered to be significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Flat-panel volume computerized tomography, which is currently used only as a research tool, has a high potential in detection and differentiation at an early stage of external root resorption cavities with pathologic relevance..
Hahn
Wolfram
W
Department of Orthodontics, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, Goettingen, Germany. weahahn@aol.com
Fricke-Zech
Susanne
S
Fricke
Julia
J
Gruber
Rudolf M
RM
Dullin
Christian
C
Zapf
Antonia
A
Hannig
Christian
C
Kubein-Meesenburg
Dietmar
D
Sadat-Khonsari
Reza
R
D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012391:Root Resorption / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D034421:Sus scrofa; D014963:X-Ray Intensifying Screens