Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026
Longitudinal Micro-Computed Tomography Image Analysis for User-Defined Region of Interest in Critical-Sized Bone Defects
Published on: June 24, 2025
In vitro assessment of local computed tomography for the detection of longitudinal tooth fractures
Maria A Mora1, André Mol, Donald A Tyndall
1The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
Objective:
To test the accuracy of local computed tomography (LCT) in detecting longitudinal fractures in comparison with conventional periapical radiographs.
Study Design:
Longitudinal fractures were induced in 30 of 60 teeth. The teeth were placed in a dry dentate mandible with soft tissue simulation. A laboratory LCT unit was used to acquire 180 basis projections with 1 degree separation along a 180 degree arc. Conventional radiographs served as the control modality. Correlated axial, coronal, and sagittal views were presented to 10 observers. The observers determined the presence of a root fracture by using a 5-point receiver operating characteristic confidence scale.
Results:
The mean A(z) for LCT was 0.91 (SD = 0.07). The mean A(z) for conventional radiography was 0.70 (SD = 0.07). The difference between the modalities was statistically significant (analysis of variance: P < .0002), whereas the differences between the observers was not (analysis of variance: P = .319).
Conclusion:
Local CT significantly improves the detection of longitudinal fractures in vitro compared with conventional periapical radiography.
