Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 18, 2025
A Postoperative Evaluation Guideline for Computer-Assisted Reconstruction of the Mandible
Published on: January 28, 2020
Comparison of 3-D mandibular surfaces generated by MRI and CT
Jun Maeda1, Chihiro Tanikawa1, Namiki Nagata1
1Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Objective:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the errors of three-dimensional mandibular surfaces generated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) when computed tomography (CT) was set as the gold standard.
Settings And Sample Population:
Seven patients with orthognathic deformities who had undergone CT and MRI scans were included in the study.
Materials And Methods:
Mandibular surfaces were generated on each CT and MR image by the surface-rendering method. Intra-individual reliability between CT and MRI was statistically tested by the confidence limits of agreement (LOA) for systematic error, 95% confidence interval minimal detectable change (MDC95 ) for random error and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC).
Results:
The average total error was 1.6 mm. The greatest MDC95 was observed in the coronoid region in all directions. The other regions showed MDC95 values of < 1.8 mm (transvers direction), 3.5 mm (vertical direction) and 1.7 mm (antero-posterior direction). ICCs showed 'almost perfect' agreement with respect to all regions.
Conclusion:
Random errors were quantified for 3-D rendering of the mandible from MRI data. Although the coronoid region showed the greatest errors, the other regions of the mandibular surfaces generated using MRI were able to be evaluated.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Imaging Studies I: CT and MRI
Description of the Procedures
Computed Tomography (CT) scan:
Computed Tomography (CT) scans use X-ray technology to generate detailed images of bones, organs, and tissues. During the scan, the patient lies on a moving table...
01:27Imaging Studies III: Computed Tomography
01:24Magnetic Resonance Imaging
01:10Computed Tomography
The technique was invented in the 1970s and is based on the principle that as X-rays pass through the body, they are absorbed or reflected at different levels. In the technique, a patient lies on a motorized platform while a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanner rotates...