Bone Densitometric Study of Mandibular Density Using Dental Panoramic Radiographs

摘要

The precision of the method of microdensitometry on panoramic radiographs (PR), using a five step copper stepwedge, was examined. Two PRs, one after the other, were made for each of the six examined patients. All the PRs were digitised. Gray levels were measured on the stepwedge and on the region of the interest. Measured gray level values were expressed in equivalents of the stepwedge thickness using 3rd degree polynomial. Comparing the values of the equivalents in the region of interest on the first and the second digitised image of the same patient, the differences were within 10%. The results revealed that the method detects mineral bone changes, which surpass more than 10% of the density on PR.