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Development of Brief Image Quality Evaluation Criteria for Digital OrthoPantomography (OPG) Images in Dental Radiography



Author(s)

A.M.C. Kumarihami¹, S.D.L. Heshani¹, P. Sathyathas¹ and R.P. Illeperuma²

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DOI:10.17265/2328-7136/2018.03.001

1. Department of Radiography & Radiotherapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rathmalana 10390, Sri Lanka
2. Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20000, Sri Lanka

An OPG (orthopantmography) is an extra-oral radiographic imaging method which provides a panoramic or wide view of both jaws and teeth on a single image. Digital OPG images provide high contrast with more details of the dentitions. The research main objective was to produce sophisticated and effective criteria that can be used by any radiographer with sound knowledge to identify common errors of digital OPG images and to increase the concern of high frequency of errors to minimize them to give an optimum image quality. The study was designed as retrospective cross sectional study. Hundred digital OPG images are evaluated by three qualified radiographers who had dental radiography experience and four student radiographers. Paired t-test was used to see the difference between the responses of radiographers and student radiographers. Kruskal-Wallis Test was used to see difference between each evaluator. Possible errors of OPG were divided into four main categories (identification, artifact, anatomical coverage and patient positioning). Each main category consists of sub-categories. Values of subcategories were given according to their importance to get the total of 100% for each main category. The results showed that there is no significant difference between radiographers and student radiographers’ responses and also between each evaluator. Hence it shows that the criteria were an easy understandable and user-friendly tool. And results showed the frequent error category was loss of anatomical coverage and frequent error was absence of positioning the tongue against the palate.

OPG, radiography, dental radiography, evaluation criteria.