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Digital image analysis for the diagnosis of periapical bone lesions: a preliminary study
Author(s) -
MOL A.,
STELT P. F.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
international endodontic journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.988
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1365-2591
pISSN - 0143-2885
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2591.1989.tb00936.x
Subject(s) - medicine , digital image analysis , dentistry , image processing , process (computing) , digital image , digital imaging , digital image processing , radiography , computer science , computer vision , radiology , image (mathematics) , operating system
Summary. Digital image analysis techniques enable the problem of examiner variability to be circumvented, and can be used to develop quantitative descriptions of bone lesions. This study investigated a method for describing periapical bone lesions. An edge‐detection technique was developed for application to routine periapical radiographs. Most periapical bone lesions appear radiographically as dark areas compared with the surrounding tissues. The digital imaging process resulted in an outline resembling the contour of the image of the lesion present. This contour could be successfully projected on to the original image with only limited operator assistance. Processing of the image resulted in increased definition of the structures present, with considerable noise reduction. The result was a simplified diagnostic examination process that promised a high degree of objectivity in periapical bone lesion detection. It is concluded that the results encourage further development of image processing techniques suitable for the definitive detection and diagnosis of periapical bone lesions.