Technical note: Compatibility of microtomographic imaging systems for dental measurements

Abstract

Modern micro-computed tomography techniques allow the accurate visualization of internal dental structures, and are becoming widely used within (paleo-) anthropological dental studies. There exist several types and name brands of microtomographic systems, however, which have been demonstrated to produce images that vary in resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. As a growing body of dental research using disparate microtomographic techniques is likely to continue accumulating, it is imperative that different systems are compared to ensure that results are comparable and not machine-dependent. In the present study, we compare volume, surface area, and linear measurements recorded on a sample of modern and fossil teeth using four microtomographic systems (three laboratory scanners, and the ID19 beamline of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility). Results indicate that measurements are comparable between systems (within 3%), but that synchrotron radiation is superior to the other systems because its monochromatic X-rays prevent beam hardening and its parallel beam prevents geometric artifacts in the resultant images, making it easier to record measurements and see fine details at the enamel cervix or dentine horn tips. Although the synchrotron produces higher resolution images with less artifacts, results indicate that for gross morphological measurements (e.g., enamel cap volume, intercuspal distances), each of the scanners produces approximately the same measurements. Combining measurements of teeth from multiple microCT systems presupposes that measurements from each system are comparable; the research presented here indicates that this is the case when teeth are not severely diagenetically remineralized.

Effect of voxel size on the accuracy of 3D reconstructions with cone beam CT

“…E-mail: delphine_maret@yahoo.frthree-dimensional (3D) reconstructions coming from 3D images needs to be clearly established. Accuracy has already been assessed 7 by comparing reconstructions using CBCT with those provided by the standard in 3D dental research, micro-CT. [8][9][10][11][12] Similar volumetric measurements were obtained using CBCT with an isotropic voxel size of 76 mm and the reference method, micro-CT, with an isotropic voxel size of 41 mm. 7 The important influence of voxel size on the quality of CBCT images and on scanning and reconstruction times is already acknowledged.…”

Age estimation based on pulp chamber volume of first molars from cone-beam computed tomography images

“…Micro CT can provide highly accurate and precise assessment of internal dental structures and root canal morphology [37][38][39][40] and has been considered as a reference standard in dental liner and volumetric measurements [41][42][43][44]. In the present study, a significant difference was observed between the pulp volumes obtained from Micro CT and CBCT images (p = 0.024), but the average difference is relatively small (2.3%) when compared it to the difference reported in a previous study (maximally 21%) [22].…”

Synchrotron microComputed Tomography of the mature bovine dentinoenamel junction

“…In the past, microCT has been used extensively to study tooth, for example, carious lesions , root canal geometry in whole teeth (Dowker et al, 1997), fracture processes in dentin (Kruzic et al, 2003), mineral levels in enamel (Dowker et al, 2004(Dowker et al, , 2006 and de-/re-mineralization of enamel Vieira et al, 2006). Similar to numerous comparisons on bone and inorganic materials, some of which are reviewed by Stock (submitted for publication), synchrotron and laboratory microCT systems have been compared for the study of tooth (Olejniciczak et al, 2007). Although tooth specimens spanning the DEJ have been imaged with tube-based microCT systems (e.g.…”