Effect of different voxel sizes on the accuracy of CBCT measurements of trabecular bone microstructure: A comparative micro-CT study

Abstract

Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images obtained using different voxel sizes in measuring trabecular bone microstructure in comparison to micro-CT. Materials and Methods Twelve human skull bones containing posterior-mandibular alveolar bone regions were analyzed. CBCT images were obtained at voxel sizes of 0.075 mm (high: HI) and 0.2 mm (standard: Std), while micro-CT imaging used voxel sizes of 0.06 mm (HI) and 0.12 mm (Std). Analyses were performed using CTAn software with the standardized automatic global threshold method. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the consistency and agreement of paired measurements for bone volume (BV), percent bone volume (BV/TV), bone surface (BS), trabecular thickness (TbTh), trabecular separation (TbSp), trabecular number (TbN), trabecular pattern factor (TbPf), and structure model index (SMI). Results When compared to micro-CT, CBCT images had higher BV, BV/TV, and TbTh values, while micro-CT images had lower BS, TbSp, TbN, TbPf, and SMI values ( P <0.05). The BV, BV/BT, TbTh, and TbSp variables were higher with Std voxels, whereas the BS, TbPf, and SMI variables were higher with HI voxels for both imaging methods. For each imaging modality and voxel size evaluated, BV, BS, and TbTh were significantly different ( P <0.05). TbN, TbPf, and SMI showed statistically significant differences between imaging methods ( P <0.05). The consistency and absolute agreement between micro-CT and CBCT were excellent for all variables. Conclusion This study demonstrated the potential of high-resolution CBCT imaging for quantitative bone morphometry assessment.

Radiographic and histological evaluation of bone formation induced by rhBMP-2-incorporated biomimetic calcium phosphate material in clinical alveolar sockets preservation

“…Some researchers compared HU from MSCT with GV from CBCT and concluded that the GV was more reliable for detecting and analyzing hypodense structures [ 18 ]. For bone evaluations, it was reported that high-resolution CBCT could be used for imaging quantitative bone morphometry assessment [ 19 ] and suggested there is a positive correlation between the GVs and the HUs values in quantifying bone tissue [ 20 ]. Similarly, it was reported that CBCT was as accurate and reliable as MSCT in predicting bone density and assessing changes in bone density around dental implants [ 21 ].…”

Facts to Consider in Developing Materials That Emulate the Upper Jawbone: A Microarchitecture Study Showing Unique Characteristics at Four Different Sites

“…This non-destructive and high-resolution method can depict the trabecular network in various shades of grey colour based on the mineral content. Many studies have routinely applied micro-CT in the structural evaluations of trabecular microstructure [ 19 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ].…”

Computed Tomography Bone Imaging: Pushing the Boundaries in Clinical Practice

“…21 22 Cone-beam CT has mainly been used for trabecular and cortical bone to evaluate the mandible in dental practice. 23…”

“…21,22 Cone-beam CT has mainly been used for trabecular and cortical bone to evaluate the mandible in dental practice. 23 Two commercially and routinely available CT techniques recently came on the market, with clear improvements in spatial resolution, approximating the diagnostic performances of the previously mentioned imaging techniques for bone microarchitecture: ultra-high-resolution CT (UHR-CT) and photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT), both with a detector element size of 0.25 mm. 24,25 These new technologies may revolutionize the diagnostic performance of CT, especially to evaluate microscopic structures with high intrinsic contrast, such as vessels and bones.…”