Comparison between cone-beam and multislice computed tomography depicting mandibular neurovascular canal structures.
OBJECTIVE
The most common diagnostic imaging modalities for cross-sectional imaging in dental implant planning are currently cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and multislice CT (MSCT). However, clinical differences between CBCT and MSCT in this task have not been fully clarified. In this investigation, the detection of fine anatomical structures in the mandible was assessed and compared between CBCT and MSCT images.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 28 patients who had undergone CBCT and MSCT. The bifid mandibular canal in the mandibular ramus, accessory mental and buccal foramina, and median and lateral lingual bony canals were observed in 2-D images, and the findings were compared between CBCT and MSCT.


RESULTS
Four of 19 canals observed in CBCT were not observed in MSCT images. Three accessory mental foramina in 2 patients and 28 lateral lingual bony canals in 18 patients were observed consistently using the two methods.


CONCLUSIONS
Depiction of fine anatomic features in the mandible associated with neurovascular structures is consistent between CBCT and MSCT images.
Naitoh
Munetaka
M
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, School of Dentistry, Aichi-Gakuin University, Nagoya, Japan. mune@dpc.aichi-gakuin.ac.jp
Nakahara
Kino
K
Suenaga
Yutaka
Y
Gotoh
Kenichi
K
Kondo
Shintaro
S
Ariji
Eiichiro
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional / Q000379:methods; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D003758:Dental Implantation, Endosseous; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000294:innervation; D008340:Mandibular Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult