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

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Odontology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden; ² Clinic of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Göteborg Public Dental Service, Göteborg, Sweden

*Correspondence to: Annika Ekestubbe, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Faculty of Odontology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, PO Box 450, SE 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden; Email: ekestubbe{at}odontologi.gu.se

Received 6 May 2003; revised 1 October 2003; accepted 6 October 2003

Objectives:The aim of this pilot study was to compare the image quality of a storage phosphor system with that of conventional film–screen 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 film–screen 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 film–screen (-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 film–screen images. However, where differences do exist, storage phosphor images score lower than film–screen images. Dose reduction in the storage phosphor system had a negative influence on image quality.

Keywords: tomography, digital; radiation dose; dental implantation

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