Comparative evaluation of dental computed tomographic software program in the analysis of jaw lesions in comparison with panoramic radiographs

Dental radiology has long played an exciting and critical diagnostic role in dentistry. Recent decades have seen the development of computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine and ultrasonography imaging modalities that have revolutionized dental and medical diagnosis. 1 Despite the development of these novel imaging modalities, the role of conventional radiography in dentistry remains unparalleled. However, the use of conventional radiography is not free from limitations. They are two dimensional representations of a three dimensional structure. They do not provide precise relationship of the critical anatomic structures like neurovascular bundle and the maxillary sinus with the lesion. 2 CT has been used to obtain detailed information on the internal anatomic structures of the jaws. Since most of the maxillary and the mandibular structures run parallel to the plane of the axial and coronal scans, neither of these images clearly ABSTRACT