The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of lateral cephalometric landmarks according to radiographic image enhancement, and to contribute to the identification of cephalometric landmarks. Lateral cephalograms of ten individuals were taken and stored into computer. The images were then enhanced up to four grades by Quick Ceph Image ProTM on condition that the gray-scale equalization number was 50 and the detail enhancement number was 50. After thirty two landmarks were identified on monitor images by five observers, the deviations from the mean, the distances estimated between identified points and the mean point of five identified points, were evaluated for each landmark at each enhancement grade. Through the statistical analysis, following results were obtained. 1.In case of unenhanced radiographic images, the inter-observer reproducibility of the landmarks showed a large variation. 2.The comparison of deviation from the mean according to the degree of radiographic image enhancement for each landmark showed that the inter-observer reproducibility was significantly different at 5 landmarks. 3.The landmark of pterygomaxillary fissure showed higher reproducibility at enhancement grade 1 and 2 images than at unenhanced images. So did the landmark of posterior nasal spine at enhancement grade 1 images, and the landmark of menton at enhancement grade 2, 3 and 4 images respectively. The above results suggest that the reproducibility of some landmarks can be increased by radiographic image enhancement during the identification of the lateral cephalometric landmarks on the monitor.
Radiographic Image Enhancement* ; Spine