'All that glitters is not gold': standards for cone-beam computerized tomographic imaging.

摘要

In the past few years, there have been increasing references in the dental literature to the utility of cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) in clinical dental practice. CBCT has been referred to as the "gold standard" and even the "standard of care" for diagnostic maxillofacial imaging.1"4 However, as early as the 16th century, the Prince of Morocco in Act II, Scene vii of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice warned, "all that glitters is not gold." Others, in more contemporary publications, have also doubted the absolute value of CBCT imaging or the misrepresentation, by some, of the role of CBCT as the new universal imaging modality of choice.5'9 A recent front-page article in The New York Times has made the public aware of concerns about the use of CBCT in orthodontics and the associated radiation dose.10 Some may argue that representations within that article are biased. However, in his response, the President of the America Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (AAOMR), Professor Allan G. Farman, applauds the efforts of the authors to draw attention to important radiation safety aspects related to the use of CBCT technology, especially on the most susceptible individuals, namely children.