Evaluation of high-resolution cone beam computed tomography in the detection of simulated interradicular bone lesions

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the accuracy of limited-volume high-resolution cone beam CT (CBCT) in the detection of periodontal bone loss. Methods: 163 simulated periodontal lesions of different depths were created in dried human hemimandibles. Specimens were imaged using the intraoral paralleling technique and limited-volume CBCT (3DX Accuitomo; Morita Co. Ltd, Kyoto, Japan). Ten viewers examined the images. Data were analysed with receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis. ROC curves were generated and the areas under the maximum-likelihood curves (A_z) were compared. Other statistical analyses were used to detect the normality of the distribution of the results. Results: The results are reported as the individual viewer ROC curve areas for each of the two imaging modalities. In all experiments the A_z area for CBCT (0.770-0.864) was larger than the A_z area for periapical film (0.678-0.783); statistical tests showed a statistically significant difference between the two modalities. Conclusions: Results indicate that the CBCT technique has better accuracy and diagnostic value than periapical films in the detection of interradicular periodontal bone defects.