A new digital tool for radiographic bone level measurements in longitudinal studies.
BACKGROUND
The reproducibility of measurements on radiographs is influenced by the techniques by which the images as well as the measurements are obtained. Thus, bias resulting from errors in the image and/or image examinations at two points in time may result in wrongful registrations of true biological or pathological changes. The aim of the present study was to propose and evaluate an indirect radiological examination technique, by which bias, when measuring radiographic bone level, could be substantially reduced as compared to the technique using direct mm measurements.


METHODS
A plugin to ImageJ was designed to reduce bias when measuring bone loss on radiographic images. In human dry mandibles, radiographic images of 20 teeth were obtained parallel with the tooth axis (alpha = 0) and at an angle of 30° deviation. The direct technique of measuring radiographic bone level (RBL) and the indirect, length-adjusted RBL were registered by four researchers in a double blinded fashion.


RESULTS
When mean RBL measured at 0° angle was 7.0 mm, the corresponding mean RBL measured at 30° angle was 7.8 mm, signifying an 11.4% increase (p = 0.032), whereas the mean length-adjusted RBL increased by 0.6% (p = 0.9).


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that the use of the original, direct technique (ImageJ) resulted in markedly biased radiographic bone level at 30° angle, while the proposed indirect length-adjusted technique (ImageJ plugin) did not.
Department of Periodontology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, PO 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. hpreus@odont.uio.no.
Hans R
HR
Preus
Department of Maxillofacial Radiology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, PO 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. g.r.torgersen@odont.uio.no.
Gerald Ruiner
GR
Torgersen
Department of Periodontology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, PO 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. oddcko@odont.uio.no.
Odd Carsten
OC
Koldsland
Department of Periodontology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, PO 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. frodeh@odont.uio.no.
Bjørn Frode
BF
Hansen
Department of Periodontology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, PO 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. a.m.aass@odont.uio.no.
Anne Merete
AM
Aass
Department of Maxillofacial Radiology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, PO 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. t.a.larheim@odont.uio.no.
Tore Arne
TA
Larheim
Department of Periodontology, Institute of Clinical Odontology, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, PO 1109 Blindern, 0317, Oslo, Norway. leiv.sandvik@odont.uio.no.
Leiv
L
Sandvik
D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000539:Alveolar Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015982:Bias; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008334:Mandible / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019227:Tooth Apex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019237:Tooth Cervix / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019228:Tooth Crown / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging