title: Experimental and clinical assessment of three-dimensional cephalometry: a systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study provides a systematic review of the current scientific literature on three-dimensional (3D) cephalometry. The null hypothesis was that 3D cephalometry is an accurate and reproducible diagnostic technique. To examine this hypothesis, the following three research questions were proposed: 1) What is the accuracy of 3D cephalometric measurements compared to in vitro measurements? 2) What is the intra- and inter-observer reliability of the selection of 3D cephalometric landmarks? 3) What is the reproducibility of the linear and angular measurements?
  
  
  METHODS
  A comprehensive database search was performed, using Medline, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science and Google Scholar. The titles and abstracts obtained from the search were screened and evaluated by two observers according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The evaluation process yielded 21 articles. A high level of agreement (<1 mm) between the in vitro measurements and those obtained from 3D cephalometry was observed and some landmarks provided highly reproducible results. However, the linear (0.04-7.49 mm) and angular (0.99-9.30°) measurements differed greatly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The null hypothesis was rejected. This study indicates critical points regarding 3D cephalometry and provides guidance for future research in this field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Surgery (Head: Trybek G, DMD), Pomeranian Medical University, Ul. Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Research Lab (OMFS/CHEX/IREC/SSS/UCL, Head: Pr Olszewski R, PhD), Departement of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, 10 Av. Hippocrate, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: smektala.t@gmail.com.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smektała
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Surgery (Head: Trybek G, DMD), Pomeranian Medical University, Ul. Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland; Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Research Lab (OMFS/CHEX/IREC/SSS/UCL, Head: Pr Olszewski R, PhD), Departement of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, 10 Av. Hippocrate, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jędrzejewski
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Surgery (Head: Trybek G, DMD), Pomeranian Medical University, Ul. Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Szyndel
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Surgery (Head: Trybek G, DMD), Pomeranian Medical University, Ul. Powstańców Wlkp. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sporniak-Tutak
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Research Lab (OMFS/CHEX/IREC/SSS/UCL, Head: Pr Olszewski R, PhD), Departement of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, 10 Av. Hippocrate, 1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olszewski
mesh_terms: D059925:Anatomic Landmarks / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002508:Cephalometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D061827:Dimensional Measurement Accuracy; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: Cephalometry; Cone-beam computed tomography; Dimensional measurement accuracy; Imaging; Reproducibility of results; Three-dimensional