Digital substraction technique and computer-assisted densitometirc analysis detect minor change in bone density and thus increase the diagnostic accuracy. This advantage as well as high sensitivity and objectivity which precludes human bias have drawn interest in radiologic research area. The objectives of this study are to verify if Radiographic density can be recognized in linear pattern when density profile of standard periapical radiograph with the aluminium stepwedge as the reference, was investigated under varies circumstances which can be encountered in clinical situations, and in addition to that to obtain mutual relationship between the existing standard radiographic system, and future digital image systems, by confirming the corelationship between the standard radiograph and Digora system which is a digital image system currently being used. In order to make quantitative analysis of the bone tissue, digital image system which uses high resolution automatic slide scanner as an input device, and Digora system were compared and analyzed using multifunctional program, Brain3dsp. The following conclusions were obtained. 1. Under common clinical situation that is 70kVp, 0.2 sec., and focal distance 10cm, Al-Equivalent image equation was found to be Y=11.21X+46.62 r(2)=0.9898 in standard radiographic system, and Y=12.68X+74.59, r(2)=0.9528 in Digora system, and linear relation was confirmed in both the systems. 2. In standard radiographic system, when all conditions were maintained the same except for the condition of developing solution, Al-Equivalent image equation was Y=10.07X+41.64, r(2)=0.9861 which shows high corelationship. 3. When all conditions were maintained the same except for the Kilovoltage peak, linear relationship was still maintained under 60kVp, and Al-Equivalent image equation was Y=14.60X+68.86, r(2)=0.9886 in the standard radiograhic system, and Y=13.90X+80.68, r(2)=0.9238 in Digora system. 4. When all conditions were maintained the same except for the exposure time which was varied from 0.01 sec. to 0.8 sec., Al-Equivalent image equation was found to be linear in both the standard radiographic system and Digora system. The R-square was distributed from 0.9188 to 0.9900, and in general, standard radiographic system showed higher R-square than Digora system. 5. When all conditions were maintained the same except for the focal distance which was varied from 5cm to 30cm, Al-Equivalent image equation was found to be linear in both the standard radiographic system and Digora system. The R-square was distributed from 0.9463 to 0.9925, and the standard radiographic system had the tendency to show higher R-square in shorter focal distances.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Bone and Bones ; Bone Density ; Humans ; Radiography, Dental, Digital ; X-Ray Film*