High-Frequency Ultrasound for Detecting Periodontal Inflammation: A Preclinical Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

Area of Science:

• Periodontology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Veterinary Dentistry

Background:

• Ultrasonography (US) is accurate for healthy periodontium.
• Inflamed periodontium requires precise imaging for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate ultrasonography (US) feasibility and accuracy for inflamed periodontium.
• Compare US with cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and histology.

Main Methods:

• Ligature and bacterial-induced periodontitis in mini pigs.
• Periodontal imaging using US, CBCT, and histology post-euthanization.
• Statistical comparison of soft and hard tissue measurements.

Main Results:

• High agreement between US and histology (ICC: 0.77-0.96) for Soft Tissue Thickness, Gingival Recession, Crestal Bone Thickness (CBT), and bone-to-CEJ distance.
• US showed superior agreement (ICC: 0.90) compared to CBCT (ICC: 0.20) for thin CBT.
• CBCT struggled with thin crestal bone, failing to identify it in 14 cases.

Conclusions:

• US is a promising diagnostic tool for periodontitis.
• US demonstrates high accuracy and agreement with histology.
• US offers advantages over CBCT, particularly for thin crestal bone assessment.