Association between dental restorations and artefacts on head magnetic resonance images in paediatric patients

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important diagnostic tool for paediatric patients. The association between dental restorations and MRI artefacts/distortions, however, is unclear.

To investigate the association between dental restorations and artefacts in head MRI in children.

This retrospective analysis included patients who underwent head MRI and dental examination at Ramathibodi Hospital from January 2015 to March 2021. From dental records and dental radiographs, a dentist reviewed the amount and type of restorative materials used. Two radiologists examined the MRI scans in five sequences for the presence of distortions and quantified the magnitude and grading of any artefacts.

Ninety-four patients aged 3-15 years were included. Twenty-four patients who received preformed metal crowns (PMCs) had MRI distortions. Subjects with no restorations or with tooth-coloured material or amalgam restorations or both did not exhibit distortions. The number of PMCs was related to the size of an artefact. Almost all distortions were confined to the oral cavity and maxillary sinus and did not affect the diagnostic brain area.

Among the commonly used dental restorative materials for children, only PMCs were associated with artefacts on head MRI scans.