The orthopan tomoscintigram : - a new application of emission computed tomography for facial bone scanning

• Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine 1990-02, Vol.16 (2), p.97-101
• Main Authors: HENZE, E, GRAF, G, CLAUSEN, M, RALL, B, WELLER, R, DERICHS, D, KREIDLER, J, HEIDENREICH, P, SITZMANN, F, ADAM, W. E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Ergonomics. Work place. Occupational physiology; Facial Bones - diagnostic imaging; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Mandible - diagnostic imaging; Maxilla - diagnostic imaging; Medical sciences; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
• ISSN: 0340-6997; 1619-7089
• DOI: 10.1007/BF01465918

The exact regional correlation of findings of facial bone scans, planar or SPECT, to dental orthopan X-ray films (OPT) is difficult because of the very different projection techniques. To improve correlative imaging in this regard a projection algorithm was developed that uses SPECT data of the skull for reconstructing an orthopan tomoscintigraphic projection. Fourteen conventional SPECT slices of the upper and lower jaws were obtained during bone scanning. All mandibular slices were superimposed resulting in a horseshoe shaped structure, while was marked by an ROI which was divided into segments. All 14 SPECT slices were then masked by this segmental ROI, thereby marking the teeth-carrying bone in all slices. The information from this horseshoe like ROI is then transformed into lines. Line by line arrangement results in an orthopan projection, the orthopan tomoscintigram. This new display allows 1:1 true scale superimposition with the X-ray OPT and markedly facilitates correlative imaging.