title: Initial evaluation of linear and spatially oriented planar images from a new dental panoramic system based on tomosynthesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to describe a newly developed dental panoramic system based on the tomosynthesis method and to validate the accuracy of linear and spatially oriented planar images.
  
  
  METHODS
  An original robotic mechanism incorporating a new high-speed cadmium-telluride (CdTe) semiconductor detector was fabricated to acquire panoramic images (raw data). The shift-and-add tomosynthesis method was applied to facilitate changes in the depth of the panoramic imaging layer. Using the texture mapping method, planar and spatially oriented images were reconstructed along a custom curved imaging plane. Using a custom phantom and dry skulls, the accuracy of selected linear measurements was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preliminary measurements demonstrated acceptable linear accuracy in reconstructed panoramic images with variations <5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary investigation demonstrates that dental panoramic images acquired by a novel robotic mechanism and CdTe detector using a tomosynthesis method provides planar and spatially oriented images with an image quality that may be acceptable for dental practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Radiology, Asahi University School of Dentistry, Mizuho-shi, Gifu, Japan. kawamata@dent.asahi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akitoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katsumata
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inukai
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagaoka
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamakawa
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*