title: Comparison of in vivo 3D cone-beam computed tomography tooth volume measurement protocols.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study is to analyze a set of previously developed and proposed image segmentation protocols for precision in both intra- and inter-rater reliability for in vivo tooth volume measurements using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six 3D volume segmentation procedures were proposed and tested for intra- and inter-rater reliability to quantify maxillary first molar volumes. Ten randomly selected maxillary first molars were measured in vivo in random order three times with 10 days separation between measurements. Intra- and inter-rater agreement for all segmentation procedures was attained using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest precision was for automated thresholding with manual refinements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A tooth volume measurement protocol for CBCT images employing automated segmentation with manual human refinement on a 2D slice-by-slice basis in all three planes of space possessed excellent intra- and inter-rater reliability. Three-dimensional volume measurements of the entire tooth structure are more precise than 3D volume measurements of only the dental roots apical to the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ).
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Forst
authors.forename: Simrit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nijjar
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flores-Mir
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Secanell
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 5th Floor, 11405 - 87 Avenue NW, Edmonton T6G 1C9, Alberta, Canada. manuel@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lagravere
mesh_terms: D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008437:Maxilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008963:Molar / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015588:Observer Variation; D009811:Odontometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009929:Organ Size; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D019237:Tooth Cervix / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging