Program including abstracts as pdf available here

OP 107
Title
DOSE REDuCTION IN PANORAMIC RADIOGRAPHy by uSING DIFFERENTIATED PROGRAMS.
Authors
u. WAHLMANN 1 , TObIAS ACH 1 , ALEXANDER GRuSCHWITz 1 , TORSTEN E. REICHERT 1
Affiliations
1 Clinic of Maxillofacial Surgery University Clinic of Regensburg, Regensburg, GERMANY
Body
Objectives: Up to date, panoramic radiography is the most important diagnostic tool in modern
dental radiology. The method offers a fast and reliable overview of the whole jaw region with
a low radiation-dose. Though many panoramic modalities offer a variety of different programs,
most dentists exclusively use the basic one, showing complete upper and lower jaws. We demonstrate
possibilities of segmental or partial radiographs to reduce radiation.
Methods: In our clinic, we use a digital Orthophos XG+ unit (Sirona) to obtain panoramics. The
device offers many different programs, allowing a quick mode (shorter acquisition time) as
well as segmental radiographs: lower or upper jaw projections as well as single side radiographs.
If the indication refers to the teeth only, the TMJ-region can be omitted.
Results: Using program P2 (without TMJ) instead of P1 (complete), a 20% dose reduction
occurs. Single jaw projections as well as unilateral radiographs result in dose reductions of
40%. The quick mode offers a 30-40% shorter acquisition time without a marked reduction of
picture quality with a reduced risk of motion artifacts.
Conclusion: While complete panoramic radiographs are helpful to gain an overview when starting
a treatment, follow-ups can mostly be obtained segmentally. For postoperative controls
or follow-ups of cystic lesions, partial projections of the region of interest are often sufficient.
Keeping in mind the possibilities of segmental imaging, we can save a lot of radiation dose,
applied to our patients. A reduced field and a shorter exposure-time simply result in a reduced
dose.
Keywords
panoramic radiograph,dose reduction,digital radiograph
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