Evaluation of different soft-tissue simulating materials in pixel intensity values in cone beam computed tomography

Publication date: Available online 31 December 2018

Source: Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology

Author(s): Gustavo Machado Santaella, Maria Augusta Portella Guedes Visconti, Karina Lopes Devito, Francisco Carlos Groppo, Francisco Haiter-Neto, Luciana Asprino

ABSTRACT

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate different materials as soft tissue simulators and the influence of soft tissues in CBCT.

Study Design

Images were acquired of five piglet heads with intact soft-tissues, stripped tissues, and with the use of different soft tissue simulators, following the same acquisition protocol. Four different materials were tested, individually or in combination: acrylic, water, utility wax and expanded polystyrene (EPS). Pixel intensity values of eight quadrangular regions were obtained, being upper and lower teeth and alveolar bone. The mean values were used for comparison by analysis of variance (α=5%).

Results

No differences were observed for groups "No Material", "EPS", "Acrylic" and "EPS and Wax" for the lower anterior and posterior teeth, and upper posterior tooth and anterior and posterior bone, and groups "No Material", "EPS", and "EPS and Wax" for the lower posterior bone. All groups showed statistical differences for the lower anterior bone and upper anterior tooth.

Conclusion

Expanded polystyrene 2 cm thick, with or without Utility Wax 1 cm thick, was effective for most regions, followed by acrylic 0.5 cm. The soft-tissues were not of great influence for most regions. Water was not an effective material for any of the regions.

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