Quantitative computed tomography texture analysis of changes in the mandibular condyle associated with orthognathic...

Texture analysis is a quantitative imaging technique facilitating the detection of subtle structural changes by the extraction of statistically derived features from medical images. Herein, we aimed to assess the features of the mandibular condyle pre- and post-orthognathic surgery using computed tomography (CT) texture analysis.

This retrospective study included 46 patients with jaw deformities who had undergone CT and orthognathic surgery between May 2017 and August 2024. The patients were divided into the mandibular-only (n = 23) and bimaxillary orthognathic surgery groups (n = 23). CT images obtained within 6 months preoperatively and at one year postoperatively were analyzed for each group. A total of 279 texture features were extracted from pre- and postoperative images of the trabecular bone of the mandibular condyle using MaZda software (version 4.6.2.0). Based on the Fisher coefficients, ten texture features were selected from each group. Statistical comparisons of the selected features were performed between the pre- and postoperative images for each group using paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. The predictor variable was defined as the surgical phase (pre- or postoperative), whereas the outcome variables were the extracted texture features.

In the mandibular-only and bimaxillary orthognathic surgery groups, 9 texture features of the mandibular condyles differed significantly pre- and postoperatively (P < 0.05).

This study revealed significant changes in the CT texture features of the mandibular condyle postoperatively. Thus, CT texture analysis may be useful for the quantitative assessment of changes in the mandibular condyle associated with orthognathic surgery.