This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Horner, K Articles by Whaites, E Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Horner, K Articles by Whaites, E

Basic principles for use of dental cone beam computed tomography: consensus guidelines of the European Academy of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology

¹School of Dentistry, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; ²Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; ³Department of Radiology and Physiology, Sunderby Hospital, Luleå, Sweden; ⁴Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, School of Dentistry, University of Athens, Athens, Greece; ⁵Department of Dental Radiology and Imaging, King's College London Dental Institute, London, UK

*Correspondence to: Keith Horner, University Dental Hospital of Manchester, Higher Cambridge Street, Manchester M15 6FH, UK; E-mail: keith.horner{at}manchester.ac.uk

Received 20 January 2009; accepted 16 February 2009

Objectives: To develop "basic principles" on the use of dental cone beam CT by consensus of the membership of the European Academy of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology.

Methods: A guideline development panel was formed to develop a set of draft statements using existing European directives and guidelines on radiation protection. These statements were revised after an open debate of attendees at a European Academy of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology (EADMFR) Congress in June 2008. A modified Delphi procedure was used to present the revised statements to the EADMFR membership, utilising an online survey in October/November 2008.

Results: Of the 339 EADMFR members, 282 had valid e-mail addresses and could be alerted to the online survey. A response rate of 71.3% of those contacted by e-mail was achieved. Consensus of EADMFR members, indicated by high level of agreement for all statements, was achieved without a need for further rounds of the Delphi process.

Conclusions: A set of 20 basic principles on the use of dental cone beam CT has been devised. They will act as core standards for EADMFR and, it is hoped, will be of value in national standard-setting within Europe.

Keywords: cone-beam computed tomography; guideline; Delphi techniques; consensus