title: A comparative evaluation of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) and Multi-Slice CT (MSCT) Part I. On subjective image quality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare image quality and visibility of anatomical structures in the mandible between five Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) scanners and one Multi-Slice CT (MSCT) system.
  
  
  METHODS
  One dry mandible was scanned with five CBCT scanners (Accuitomo 3D, i-CAT, NewTom 3G, Galileos, Scanora 3D) and one MSCT system (Somatom Sensation 16) using 13 different scan protocols. Visibility of 11 anatomical structures and overall image noise were compared between CBCT and MSCT. Five independent observers reviewed the CBCT and the MSCT images in the three orthographic planes (axial, sagittal and coronal) and assessed image quality on a five-point scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences were found in the visibility of the different anatomical structures and image noise level between MSCT and CBCT and among the five CBCT systems (p=0.0001). Delicate structures such as trabecular bone and periodontal ligament were significantly less visible and more variable among the systems in comparison with other anatomical structures (p=0.0001). Visibility of relatively large structures such as mandibular canal and mental foramen was satisfactory for all devices. The Accuitomo system was superior to MSCT and all other CBCT systems in depicting anatomical structures while MSCT was superior to all other CBCT systems in terms of reduced image noise.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CBCT image quality is comparable or even superior to MSCT even though some variability exists among the different CBCT systems in depicting delicate structures. Considering the low radiation dose and high-resolution imaging, CBCT could be beneficial for dentomaxillofacial radiology.
authors.affiliation: Oral Imaging Centre, School of Dentistry, Oral Pathology and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Xin.Liang@med.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Reinhilde
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Bassam
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: Livia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corpas
authors.forename: Paulo Couto
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Martens
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahbazian
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Ivo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lambrichts
mesh_terms: D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed