title: Utility of fusion volumetric images from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for localizing the mandibular canal.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate whether CT/MRI fusion volumetric images can improve the detectability of the mandibular canal (MC) compared with CT alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Images of 31 lesions within or close to the mandible using both multislice CT (MSCT) and MRI were gathered from our imaging archives. All lesions underwent MSCT and three-dimensional volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (3D-VIBE) MRI. Of the 62 hemimandibles, 13 hemimandibles were excluded because the MC passed through a lesion. The remaining 49 hemimandibles were included in this study. Each hemimandible was divided into 3 areas (premolar, molar and retromolar), and 147 areas were evaluated. First, the visibility of the MC on CT or its neurovascular bundle (NVB) on 3D-VIBE was evaluated. Second, in areas in which both the MC and NVB were visible, the relative locations of the NVB on MRI and the position of the MC on CT were assessed using CT/MRI fusion volumetric images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MC and NVB were clearly visible in 100 (68%) and 144 (98%) of 147 areas on CT and MRI, respectively. All NVBs and MCs were in identical locations, and the NVB on MRI was the same size or smaller than the MC on CT in 79 and 21 areas, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3D-VIBE MRI can accurately depict the NVB. Compared with CT alone, CT/MRI fusion volumetric imaging improves MC detectability.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Chutamas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Deepho
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kotaki
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.affiliation: 2 National Center of Advanced Medicine for Dental and Oral Diseases, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sumi
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurabayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008334:Mandible / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D064847:Multimodal Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: MRI; imaging; mandible; multislice CT; three-dimensional