Yeungnam Univ J Med.  2001 Jun;18(1):123-137.

Comparative Analysis of Accuracy between Computerized Tomography and Cephalogram for 3-Dimensional Measurement of Maxillofacial Structure

• Paek JS
• Song JC
• Lee HK

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of measurements obtained from 3-dimensional computerized tomography and 3-dimensional cephalogram constructed by using the frontal and lateral cephalogram of six human dry skulls.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
After CT scans and each cephalograms were taken, 3-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z) of landmarks were obtained using computer programs. In this study, the accuracy of both methods were determined by means of 14 linear measurements compare with caliper measurements.
RESULTS
The standard deviation of landmarks of 3-dimensional CT and 3-dimensional cephalogram were 0.23 mm and 0.30 mm in X axis, 0.27 mm and 0.25 mm in Y axis, and 0.27 mm and 0.31 mm in Z axis. In both methods, the standard deviation were less than 0.5 mm in all landmarks, and the most of landmarks showed less than 1 mm in range. Concerning the accuracy, the mean difference between 3-dimensional CT and manual measurements was 0.33 mm, and 1.13 mm between 3-dimensional cephalogram and manual measurement. The distance between RGo and LGo showed the largest difference (2.23 mm). There were highly significant, and large correlation with manual measurements in both methods (p<0.01).
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that closeness of repeated measurements to each skulls reveal the precision of both methods. Computerized tomography and cephalogram for 3-dimensional measurement of maxillofacial structure are equivalent in quality to caliper measurements.

Keyword

3-dimensional computerized tomography; 3-dimensional cephalogram; Accuracy; Mean difference

MeSH Terms

Axis, Cervical Vertebra
Humans
Skull
Tomography, X-Ray Computed