Automatic fusion of lateral cephalograms and digital volume tomography data-perspective for combining two modalities...

This article investigates the combination of three-dimensional (3D) digital volume tomography data with two-dimensional (2D) cephalograms in dentomaxillofacial imaging.

An automatic hierarchical method to adjust the geometrical relations of these two modalities is presented. The approach is tested on phantom and patient case data, where the feasibility, usability and potential possibilities of the presented innovative method are highlighted. Digitally reconstructed radiographs are computed by casting rays through the 3D volume to get a 2D projection of the volume to produce realistic simulated cephalograms. Different similarity measures are considered based on variations of statistical and deterministic optimization procedures. Stability, precision and accuracy of the method are investigated.

The presented algorithm demonstrates a reasonable solution of the corresponding 2D/3D registration problem. Exemplary results from phantom and patient case data are presented. Tooth movement could be determined, in contrast to the 2D lateral cephalogram, separated for each side in all three spatial directions.

Achieved results are highlighted from a clinical point of view and demonstrate the clinical benefit in daily praxis.