IADR Abstract Archives
Reliability of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography for Temporomandibular Joint Analysis
Objectives: The aim of this research was to assess the intraexaminer and interexaminer reliabilities of temporomandibular joint linear measurements and condylar shape classifications with cone-beam computed tomography.
Methods: Cone-beam computed tomography images of 30 patients were randomly selected from the archieve of our department. The images were exported to Dolphin 3D program (version 11.8, Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions, Chatsworth, USA) for the measurements. The following measurements were done by two orthodontists for two times, for right and left joints separately (n=60): from the sagittal view; anterior, posterior and superior joint space measurements and sagittal joint morphology classification, from the coronal view; medial, lateral joint space and mediolateral width measurements and coronal joint morphology classification. For the constant variables; intraclass-interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and for the morphology classifications Kappa statistics were used to assess intraexaminer and interexaminer reliability.
Results: For observer I, anterior, superior, medial, lateral joint spaces, mediaolateral width and for observer II anterior, superior joint spaces and mediolateral width measurements’ ICC values were excellent (>0.9). For observer I; posterior joint space and for observer II; posterior, medial and lateral joint space measurements’ ICC values were good (between 0.75 and 0.9). All of the interobserver ICC values were good (between 0.75 and 0.9) except mediolateral width measurement (>0.9). When morphology classifications were evaluated; the intraobserver agreement of observer I was moderate (kappa=0.479) for sagittal and substantial (kappa=0.629) for coronal. The intraobserver agreement of observer II was almost perfect (kappa=0.858) for sagittal and substantial (kappa=0.713) for coronal. The interobserver agreement values were slight (kappa=0.181) for sagittal and fair (kappa=0.265) for coronal.
Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that linear temporomandibular joint measurements were reproducible and reliable. On the other hand the use of CBCT imaging for the classification of condylar shapes cannot provide clinically useful information as the interexaminer agreement values were low.
Methods: Cone-beam computed tomography images of 30 patients were randomly selected from the archieve of our department. The images were exported to Dolphin 3D program (version 11.8, Dolphin Imaging & Management Solutions, Chatsworth, USA) for the measurements. The following measurements were done by two orthodontists for two times, for right and left joints separately (n=60): from the sagittal view; anterior, posterior and superior joint space measurements and sagittal joint morphology classification, from the coronal view; medial, lateral joint space and mediolateral width measurements and coronal joint morphology classification. For the constant variables; intraclass-interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and for the morphology classifications Kappa statistics were used to assess intraexaminer and interexaminer reliability.
Results: For observer I, anterior, superior, medial, lateral joint spaces, mediaolateral width and for observer II anterior, superior joint spaces and mediolateral width measurements’ ICC values were excellent (>0.9). For observer I; posterior joint space and for observer II; posterior, medial and lateral joint space measurements’ ICC values were good (between 0.75 and 0.9). All of the interobserver ICC values were good (between 0.75 and 0.9) except mediolateral width measurement (>0.9). When morphology classifications were evaluated; the intraobserver agreement of observer I was moderate (kappa=0.479) for sagittal and substantial (kappa=0.629) for coronal. The intraobserver agreement of observer II was almost perfect (kappa=0.858) for sagittal and substantial (kappa=0.713) for coronal. The interobserver agreement values were slight (kappa=0.181) for sagittal and fair (kappa=0.265) for coronal.
Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that linear temporomandibular joint measurements were reproducible and reliable. On the other hand the use of CBCT imaging for the classification of condylar shapes cannot provide clinically useful information as the interexaminer agreement values were low.