Pre-clinical evaluation of a new dental panoramic radiographic system based on tomosynthesis method.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to compare the image generated by a classic panoramic machine equipped with a cadmium telluride sensor capable of digital tomosynthesis and special software with images produced by other popular panoramic X-ray machines using a charge-coupled device and native software for image capture.

METHODS: Panoramic images were made using a phantom of a human skull on Planmeca ProMax, Planmeca EC Proline, Kodak 8000 and PC-1000. With the last machine we used the PanoACT® software to adjust the entire arch and to adjust the image in selected regions of interest (ROIs). Ten viewers evaluated the images and provided the viewer data. ANOVA for repeated measures was used to compare the means by pairwise comparisons of means.

RESULTS: The image of the entire arch adjusted by the PanoACT® software was statistically superior to the images produced by other machines. The images generated and individually adjusted by PanoACT® were statistically superior to all other images.

CONCLUSIONS: The image generated by the cadmium telluride sensor has great potential and can be processed to create superior images to those taken with other machines. Furthermore, the ROI individual images enhanced by the PanoACT® were superior to the entire arch adjusted by the same software.