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Ioden‐125 apparature for measuring changes in X‐ray transmission and the thickness of alveolar process
Author(s) -
Henrikson Carl O.,
Julin Per
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of periodontal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.31
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0765
pISSN - 0022-3484
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0765.1971.tb00603.x
Subject(s) - materials science , collimated light , chemistry , optics , laser , physics
A method has recently been described for the quantitative measurement of the mineral content of alveolar bone in vivo with the help of an iodine‐125 apparatus (Bergström and Henrikson 1970). A device for the intraoral positioning of the narrow‐beam radiation source is fixed to a silver cap splint made for each patient. The transmission of the X‐rays from the radioisotope l25I through the alveolar septum is measured by a scintillation crystal, Nal (Tl), and a pulse height analyzer. As small changes in the mineral content were often concealed by fluctuations in the thickness of the alveolar process, e.g. postoperative swelling, an apparatus for the simultaneous measuring of changes in X‐ray transmission and the thickness of the alveolar process has been constructed. The radiation is collimated by tubular diaphragms and filtered by a thin tin layer. The tubes are used as electrical contact indicators while measuring the thickness of the jaw. The alveolar septum consists mainly of hydroxy apatite, water, protein and fat. An estimation of the mass attenuation coefficients of the components shows that it is possible to approximate the components to hydroxy apatite and “organic matter”. It is shown that it is possible to determine the amount of hydroxy apatite in the region studied.