Measuring peri-implant bone lesions using low-dose cone-beam computed tomography

Area of Science:

• Dental Implantology
• Radiology
• Biomedical Imaging

Background:

• High-definition cone-beam computed tomography (HD-CBCT) provides superior image quality but involves higher radiation doses.
• Low-dose CBCT (LD-CBCT) aims to reduce radiation exposure while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of LD-CBCT in quantifying peri-implant bone lesions.
• To compare LD-CBCT measurements with HD-CBCT, considering the influence of surrounding tissues.

Main Methods:

• Titanium implants with peri-implant lesions were imaged using intraoral radiography (IR), HD-CBCT, and LD-CBCT in a human mandible model.
• Measurements of lesion depth and width were performed by four observers and compared to HD-CBCT as the reference standard.

Main Results:

• Measurement deviations from HD-CBCT were minimal for LD-CBCT protocols (depth: 0.22 ± 0.17 mm, width: 0.22 ± 0.13 mm).
• Deviations were slightly larger in LD-CBCT with surrounding tissues simulated (depth: 0.24 ± 0.23 mm, width: 0.25 ± 0.21 mm) and in IR (0.4 mm).
• Excellent interrater agreement for width measurements was observed across HD-CBCT and LD modes.

Conclusions:

• LD-CBCT demonstrates small absolute differences compared to HD-CBCT for peri-implant lesion quantification.
• Despite a decrease in image quality due to surrounding tissues, LD-CBCT shows potential as an adequate imaging modality for monitoring peri-implant lesions at a lower radiation dose.