Quality of digital pre-implant tomography: comparison of filmÇƒÏscreen images with storage phosphor images at normal and low dose

Quality of digital pre-implant tomography: comparison of filmÇƒÏscreen images with storage phosphor images at normal and low dose
September 2003
By A Ekestubbe, H-G Gr??ndahl, and B Molander
Dentomaxillofacial Radiology
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Objectives:The aim of this pilot study was to compare the image quality of a storage phosphor system with that of conventional filmÇƒÏscreen in pre-implant conventional tomography, and to test the influence of radiation dose on image quality in the storage phosphor system.
Methods:Cross-sectional conventional tomographic images (Scanora¨? technique) were obtained on 11 patients with filmÇƒÏscreen and with storage phosphor image plates (Digora¨? PCT) at normal and low doses. Ten observers graded the visibility of anatomical structures of importance for implant planning. A three-step rating scale was used, where -1 =worse, 0=equal and 1=better than the reference image.
Results:Although image quality was graded as equally good in the majority (59%) of images, the storage phosphor system scored significantly lower than filmÇƒÏscreen (-0.37 vs 0.00, respectively) for all the images. Low dose storage phosphor images were rated significantly lower (-0.21) than normal dose images (0.00).
Conclusions:In the majority of patients, anatomic structures of importance for implant planning are visualized equally well on storage phosphor and filmÇƒÏscreen images. However, where differences do exist, storage phosphor images score lower than filmÇƒÏscreen images. Dose reduction in the storage phosphor system had a negative influence on image quality.