title: Dental MRI using wireless intraoral coils.
abstract: Currently, the gold standard for dental imaging is projection radiography or cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). These methods are fast and cost-efficient, but exhibit poor soft tissue contrast and expose the patient to ionizing radiation (X-rays). The need for an alternative imaging modality e.g. for soft tissue management has stimulated a rising interest in dental magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which provides superior soft tissue contrast. Compared to X-ray imaging, however, so far the spatial resolution of MRI is lower and the scan time is longer. In this contribution, we describe wireless, inductively-coupled intraoral coils whose local sensitivity enables high resolution MRI of dental soft tissue. In comparison to CBCT, a similar image quality with complementary contrast was obtained ex vivo. In-vivo, a voxel size of the order of 250 ∙ 250 ∙ 500 μm(3) was achieved in 4 min only. Compared to dental MRI acquired with clinical equipment, the quality of the images was superior in the sensitive volume of the coils and is expected to improve the planning of interventions and monitoring thereafter. This method may enable a more accurate dental diagnosis and avoid unnecessary interventions, improving patient welfare and bringing MRI a step closer to becoming a radiation-free alternative for dental imaging.
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.|Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne-Katrin
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Eisenbeiss
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scheifele
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bock
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hennig
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: von Elverfeldt
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Herdt
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tabea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Flügge
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan-Bernd
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hövener
mesh_terms: D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results