Variations in the interpretation of periapical radiolucencies

Comparison of the first and second interpretations by means of measurements on enlarged tracings of forty-five periapical radiolucencies by ten experienced dentists revealed an average relative error of interpretation of 21 per cent for the area measurements of the readily defined radiolucencies and 37 per cent for the area measurements of the diffuse radiolucencies. Comparing the dentists, the relative error of interpretation by means of measurements of the area varied from 14 to 32 per cent for the readily defined radiolucencies and from 23 to 52 per cent for the diffuse radiolucencies. The differences in interpretation were more obvious in the area measurements than in the measurements of the largest distance between the root surface and the outline of the radiolucency or the largest diameter.