Cone beam CT studies of dental and skeletal radiology

Cone-beam CT using 2D detectors and 3D reconstruction algorithms has recently become commercially available for dental use and offers isotropic, high resolution. This project aims at evaluating this technique for clinical purposes in odontological radiology and studying skeletal microstructure. In particular, imaging of the temporal bone will be evaluated.

• Staff:

Örjan Smedby , Prof		Project manager, supervisor		Radiology LiU
Eva Klintström , Ötl		Doctoral student		Radiology LiU
Torkel Brismar , Doc		Co-supervisor		Radiology KI
Birgitta Stenström , Doc		Senior co-author		Radiology LiU
Per-Magnus Johansson , Ötl		Doctoral student		Radiology LiU

• Former Staff:

• Project Description:

Computed tomography (CT) is currently most often made with an array of (e.g. 64) linear detectors, employing reconstruction algorithms that are a compromise between 2D and 3D geometry. Although cone-beam CT, i.e. computed tomography using a 2D detector and completely 3D (cone-beam) reconstruction algorithms, has been theoretically known since a long time [1-3], detectors have hitherto not permitted its practical use in clinical settings. During the last few years, commercial solutions for use in odontological radiology with a limited field of view have been  introduced [4]. Among the advantages of this technique are superior isotropic resolution and lower radiation dose compared with multislice helical CT.


This project aims at evaluating the use of the technique for clinical purposes in dental radiology and in the study of skeletal structure, e.g. in osteoporosis. This evaluation will include image quality aspects such as resolution and absence of artifacts as well as the radiation dose. For image quality studies with visual assessment, a number of odontological radiologists in Sweden will be engaged. In the radiation dose studies, the Dept. of Radiation physics at LiU will be involved. Studies of skeletal microstructure are made in collaboration with Torkel Brismar at KI.

Imaging of the temporal bone is an application where cone-beam CT is promising. Post-mortem studies of the temporal bone will be carried out, and clinical examinations of the temporal bone will be evaluated in a retrospective material from Odontologiska institutionen in Jönköping.

References


1. Feldkamp LA, Davis LC, Kress JW. Practical cone-beam algorithm. Journal of the Optical Society of America A (Optics and Image Science) 1984;1(6):612-19.

2. Grangeat P. Analyse d'un Système d'Imagerie 3D par Reconstrucion à partir de Radiographies X en Géométrie Conique [Ph. D. thesis]: École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications; 1987.

3. Jacobson C. Fourier Methods in 3D-Reconstruction from Cone-Beam Data [Ph. D. thesis]. Linköping University; 1996.

4. Arai Y, Tammisalo E, Iwai K, Hashimoto K, Shinoda K. Development of a compact computed tomographic apparatus for dental use. Dentomaxillofac Radiol 1999;28(4):245-8.