A system of calibrating microtomography for use in caries research.
Desktop microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) offers a non-invasive 3-dimensional analysis of structures and their physical properties. To date, the use of micro-CT has mostly involved qualitative observations, with the extent of quantitative analysis relying on automated internal calibration by the micro-CT control software. However, the value of such calibration is limited by machine drift. For an accurate quantitative use of micro-CT, it is recognized that external means of calibration are needed. A novel system of calibration standards, also known as 'phantoms', is presented. A range of low mineral concentration phantoms involving triethylene glycol dimethacrylate/glycerolate dimethacrylate resin mixed with commercial pure hydroxyapatite (HAP), from 0.07 to 1.05 g/cm(3), was fabricated. Sintered HAP was impregnated with the same resin, producing phantoms with medium-level mineral concentrations up to 1.90 g/cm(3). These phantoms were easy to create, proved accurate and stable with repeated use, and were found to mimic the composite nature of dental enamel and dentine structures under investigation.
Schwass
D R
DR
Department of Oral Rehabilitation, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. DonSchwass@xtra.co.nz
Swain
M V
MV
Purton
D G
DG
Leichter
J W
JW
D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density; D002138:Calibration; D002417:Cattle; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D006882:Hydroxyapatites / Q000032:analysis*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
D006882:Hydroxyapatites