title: The influence of number of line pairs in digital intra-oral radiography on the detection accuracy of horizontal root fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Line pairs are the unit for measurement of resolution and are related to the spatial quality of the system. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of number of line pairs in digital intra-oral radiography on the detection accuracy of horizontal root fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-four extracted single-root human teeth were used. Thirty-two had horizontal root fractures created and were mounted in dry human mandibles. The teeth were radiographed with two digital receptors: the Digora Optime (14.3 lp mm-1) and the Digora Toto (26.3 lp mm-1). Images were viewed under standardized conditions by 3 calibrated examiners using the respective dedicated software (Digora for Windows 2.6(®) and Scanora(®) ). Digora Toto(®) images were also evaluated through the Digora for Windows 2.6(®) software. The results were statistically analyzed based on the area under the ROC curve for each examiner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pairing Digora Toto(®) with Scanora(®) allowed for greater accuracy in horizontal root fractures diagnosis, while images acquired with that same system seem to lose accuracy when visualized with Digora for Windows 2.6(®) . Pairing Digora Optime(®) with Digora for Windows 2.6(®) resulted in the lowest accuracy for horizontal root fractures diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher number of line pairs and the consequent higher image resolution provided by the Digora Toto(®) system and its dedicated software seem to enhance the accuracy of horizontal root fractures diagnostic imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nejaim
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amanda Farias
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Health Sciences Center, Grande Rio University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Emmanuel João Nogueira Leal da
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco Carlos
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Groppo
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba Dental School, State University of Campinas, Piracicaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haiter Neto
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D019252:Radiography, Dental, Digital; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014082:Tooth Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000293:injuries*
keywords: Diagnostic Imaging; Digital radiography; Radiology; Tooth Fractures