title: Assessment of skeletal maturation based on cervical vertebrae in CBCT.
abstract: Diagnosis of skeletal age in adolescents helps orthodontists select and time treatments. Currently this is done using lateral cephalometric radiographs. This study evaluates the application of the conventional method in cone-beam computer tomographic (CBCT) images to bring forth assessment of skeletal maturation in three-dimensions. Ninety-eight lateral cephalometric radiographs and CBCT scans were collected from orthodontic patients between 11 to 17 years of age over an 18-month period. CBCT scans were examined in seven sagittal slices based on cervical vertebral maturation staging (CVMS). Collected CVMS values were compared with those from corresponding lateral cephalometric radiograph. CVMS measured from CBCT and lateral cephalometric radiographs were the same on average. However, they were not consistent with each other and scored interclass correlation coefficient of 0.155 in validity test. Interoperator reliability was weak (0.581). Adaptation of cervical vertebrae maturation staging in CBCT requires further clarifications or modifications to become consistent with lateral cephalometric examinations and to become a reliable method. Alternatively, a completely new method may be developed consisting of maturational indicators or landmarks unique to CBCT imaging.
authors.affiliation: Room 5-524, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, Department of Dentistry, University of Alberta, 11405 - 87, Avenue NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada.
authors.forename: Jocelyne J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Giseon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Manuel O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Lagravère
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000365:Age Determination by Skeleton; D002508:Cephalometry; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D015203:Reproducibility of Results