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Accuracy of zoomed digital image in the detection of periodontal bone defect: in vitro study

¹ Department of Oral Diagnosis and Surgery, Araraquara Dental School, State of São Paulo University, Unesp, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil; ² Department of Social Dentistry, Araraquara Dental School, State of São Paulo University, Unesp, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil

*Correspondence to: Dr Gulnara Scaf, Rua Humaitá, 1680, 14801-903, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil; Email: scaf{at}foar.unesp.br

Received 3 August 2004; revised 14 June 2005; accepted 12 July 2005

Objectives: (1) To evaluate the intraobserver agreement related to image interpretation and (2) to compare the accuracy of 100%, 200% and 400% zoomed digital images in the detection of simulated periodontal bone defects.

Methods: Periodontal bone defects were created in 60 pig hemi-mandibles with slow-speed burs 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm and 3.0 mm in diameter. 180 standardized digital radiographs were made using Schick sensor and evaluated at 100%, 200% and 400% zooming. The intraobserver agreement was estimated by Kappa statistic (). For the evaluation of diagnostic accuracy receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed followed by chi-square test to compare the areas under ROC curves according to each level of zooming.

Results: For 100%, 200% and 400% zooming the intraobserver agreement was moderate (=0.48, =0.54 and =0.43, respectively) and there were similar performances in the discrimination capacity, with ROC areas of 0.8611 (95% CI: 0.7660–0.9562), 0.8600 (95% CI: 0.7659–0.9540), and 0.8368 (95% CI: 0.7346–0.9390), respectively, with no statistical significant differences (²-test; P=0.8440).

Conclusions: A moderate intraobserver agreement was observed in the classification of periodontal bone defects and the 100%, 200% and 400% zoomed digital images presented similar performances in the detection of periodontal bone defects.

Keywords: dental radiography;; digital radiography;; radiographic zooming;; alveolar bone loss;; agreement;; accuracy