Reading Hounsfield Units from Direct Panoramic Images. A Software Technique

Abdel Moula, Shereen; Saudi, Hussein I

doi:10.21608/edj.2018.77003

Reading Hounsfield Units from Direct Panoramic Images. A Software Technique

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Associate Professor of Oral Medicine, Periodontology, Diagnosis and Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Tanta University

² Professor of Oral Medicine, Periodontology, Diagnosis and Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry ,Tanta University

10.21608/edj.2018.77003

Abstract

The present research was conducted as a trial to find out a simple quick low radiation and less expensive methodology to read and display the HU units expressed by the CBCT from the direct panoramic images during planning for implant placement before the decision of CBCT.
A specially developed small Visual Basic program was designed to load the panoramic images to read and display the mean value of the HU of the areas clicked on the panorama and display the bone category according to Misch classification. A total of 100 edentulous sites were explored for the mean value of bone density expressed in HU from CBCT using Simplant program and by the Visual Basic program from the digitized panoramic radiographs for the same site in every patient. Results showed no statistically significant difference were found between the mean value of the HU gained from the Simplant program and those gained from the visual basic program in all categories of bone density including D1, D2, D3 and D4. The software may be a promising tool that can help in prediction of bone density during the planning for implant placement.