Determination of different positioning errors in digital panoramic radiography: A retrospective study

Panoramic radiography is a unique, simple, and a very useful extraoral film technique that allows the dentist to visualize the entire maxillomandibular dentition and related structures, from condyle to condyle, on one film.[1] Moreover, panoramic radiograph is one of the routinely used investigations in dentistry. The significance of panoramic radiograph is reduced when they are of poor diagnostic quality.[1] To obtain diagnostically useful panoramic radiographs, it is necessary to prepare patients properly and position their heads carefully in the image layer. Image layer is nothing but a threedimensional curved zone or “focal trough” where the structures lying within this layer are reasonably well defined on the final panoramic image.[2] Ability to identify various errors plays a significant role in correct interpretation of the panoramic radiographs. Hence, our aim is to determine the different positioning errors in digital panoramic radiographs in a sample of records collected from the department of oral medicine and radiology.