title: Ultrasound evaluation of intra-osseous cavity: A preliminary study in pig mandibles.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the role of ultrasonography as a possible tool for diagnosis of intra-osseous lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Our sample comprised five macerated pig jaws. The regions of bony crypts of third molars were examined on both sides, totaling 10 examinations. The degrees of difficulty for both ultrasound image visualization and bone translucency were rated by two groups of evaluators (i.e. dental radiologists and physician ultrasonographers).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that it is possible to detect images of the intra-osseous cavity at a low-degree difficulty by using both radiographic and ultrasonic techniques (46.6% and 43.3%, respectively). However, the crypts were not fully detected by both groups (16.6% and 13.3%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that ultrasonography is a useful method for evaluation of intra-osseous lesions in jaws, provided that the cortical bone is thin enough to allow ultrasound waves to pass through.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, UNICID (University of São Paulo City), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thásia L D
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, UNICID (University of São Paulo City), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andre Luiz F
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, UNICID (University of São Paulo City), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria José A
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tucunduva
authors.affiliation: Tucunduva Clinic, Jundiaí, Brazil.
authors.forename: Raul R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Tucunduva-Neto
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of Israelita Albert Einstein Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elio H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Shinohara
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, UNICID (University of São Paulo City), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cláudio F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: de Freitas
keywords: Diagnostic imaging; Intra-osseous cavities; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound