Purpose: Vertical root fractures (VRFs) remain a major diagnostic challenge in endodontics due to image noise and artifacts in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), particularly those caused by intracanal posts. This study evaluated the effect of an advanced noise reduction (ANR) algorithm on CBCT performance in detecting VRFs inmaxillary second premolars and examined how different post materials influenced diagnostic outcomes. Materials and Methods: Seventy extracted maxillary second premolars with single canals were divided into 5groups according to post material (cast, fiberglass, titanium, stainless steel, and brass). VRFs were induced in half of the specimens using a universal testing machine under standardized conditions. CBCT scans were obtainedusing a Carestream 9600 device with fixed parameters, both with and without ANR. Two experienced radiologists independently evaluated the images using a 5-point scale. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and interobserveragreement were analyzed using SPSS version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: The application of ANR increased overall sensitivity and interobserver agreement compared with conventional images. Specificity varied by post material: fiberglass posts demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy, while stainless steel and brass produced stronger artifacts and lower sensitivity. Conclusion Incorporating ANR into CBCT imaging improves VRF detection by improving sensitivity and observerconsistency, especially in cases with minimal metallic interference. These findings highlight the clinical benefits of ANR and support further research integrating noise and metal artifact reduction techniques with artificial intelligenceto optimize diagnostic precision.

PURPOSE: Early diagnosis and treatment of acute pyelonephritis in children is of special importance in order to prevent serious complications. This study was conducted to determine the diagnostic value of serum interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in children with acute pyelonephritis. METHODS: Eighty-seven patients between 1 month to 12 years old with urinary tract infection (UTI) were divided into 2 groups based on the result of 99m-technetium dimercapto-succinic acid renal scan: acute pyelonephritis (n=37) and lower UTI (n=50) groups. White blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil (Neutl) count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, platelet count, and serum IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations of both groups were measured and compared. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between two groups regarding WBC count, Neutl count, ESR, and CRP concentration (P<0.05). In addition, the difference between the two groups regarding serum IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations was not significant (IL-6, 60 and 35.4 pg/mL and IL-8, 404 and 617 pg/mL, respectively). The sensitivity and specificity of serum IL-6 and IL-8 for diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis were 73%, 42% and 78%, 32%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values of serum IL-6 and IL-8 were less than those of acute phase serum reactants such as CRP. CONCLUSION: This study showed that there was no significant difference between acute pyelonephritis and lower UTI groups regarding serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels. Therefore, despite confirming results of previous studies, it seems that IL-6 and IL-8 are not suitable markers for differentiating between acute pyelonephritis and lower UTI.
C-Reactive Protein ; Child ; Early Diagnosis ; Erythrocyte Count ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; Interleukin-8 ; Interleukins ; Leukocytes ; Neutrophils ; Platelet Count ; Pyelonephritis ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Urinary Tract Infections