title: A novel method of dental panoramic tomogram analysis: a perspective tool for a screening test for osteoporosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test a new method of dental panoramic tomogram (DPT) analysis to show the differences of mandibular bone volume and relative bone density (RBD) in order to detect osteoporosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study compared 62 women with osteoporosis (O) and 24 women with osteopenia (o) to a control group of 33 women with normal bone mineral density (N). DPTs were analyzed using an original method resulting in anatomic and RBD indexes as well as using previously described methods: panoramic mandibular index (PMI) and mandibular cortical width (MCW).
  
  
  RESULTS
  One anatomic and four RBD indexes differed statistically significantly between the group O and N and three RBD indexes differed statistically significantly between o and N. PMI did not show statistically significant differences between the groups. The MCW differed significantly at two measured sites between O and N.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Average values of RBD indexes were statistically significantly different between O and N and also between o and N. Important differences regarding RBD were confirmed using a new and original method of common DPT analysis. This method could serve as a screening tool for osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery (Head: Assist. Prof. Andrej Kansky, DMD, PhD), University Medical Center Ljubljana, Zaloška 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Electronic address: marko.bozzich@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Božič
authors.forename: Nataša
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ihan Hren
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000465:Algorithms; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000379:methods*; D014056:Tomography, X-Ray / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Bone density; Mandible; Osteoporosis; Panoramic; Radiography