An analysis of effective dose optimization and its impact on image quality and diagnostic efficacy relating to dental cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)

An analysis of effective dose optimization and its impact on image quality and diagnostic efficacy relating to dental cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) Swiss Dent J. 2018 Mar 28;128(4):297-316 Authors: McGuigan MB, Duncan HF, Horner K Abstract The potential of high resolution, three-dimensional (3D) images which overcome limitations such as superimposition and anatomical noise of two-dimensional (2D) conventional imaging, has made cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) an increasingly popular imaging modality in many dental applications. It is in light of the increasingly prevalent use of CBCT, particularly in a primary dental care setting, that the goal of this review is to investigate what evidence-based guidance is available to the clinician to justify and reduce radiation risk of this higher dose imaging modality while maintaining diagnostically acceptable images. To this end, the literature on radiation dose and related patient risk was comprehensively investigated, before an analysis of the ways in which dose can be optimized and the implications that optimization has on image quality was discussed. Finally, although it is accepted that CBCT has the potential to improve diagnosis, it is uncertain if its use has positive ramifications on issues of diagnostic efficacy, including clinical decision-making and patient outcome. In order to investigate these issues, the levels of evidence of the existing studies and their validity we...
Source: Schweizer Monatsschrift fur Zahnmedizin - Category: Dentistry Tags: Swiss Dent J Source Type: research