We live in really interesting and exciting times in the field of diagnostic imaging. In the past decade, the evolution of imaging techniques and equipment has been amazing. In conjunction with the traditional 2D imaging (intraoral, panoramic, cephalostat) 3D (CBCT) imaging has brought precise diagnosis making on a whole new level. The reasons for the popularity of 3D imaging are undisputed: three-dimensional image data offers much more diagnostic information than what has been possible to achieve with conventional imaging techniques. Getting the correct diagnosis speeds up the initiation of treatment – good news for your patients.
Here are some of the many benefits of 3D imaging for your clinic:
- Wide range of application areas with a single imaging device
- More diagnostic information
- Possibility to minimize or eliminate common patient positioning errors
- Rapid diagnosis -> quick initiation of treatment
- 3D data integration with other software, for example CAD/CAM, implant planning, surgical navigators etc.
- Possibility to sell imaging services to other clinics
Concerns about high levels of radiation exposure is no longer a barrier to the utilization of this imaging technology; currently there are many 3D devices in the market which have the option to choose the resolution (voxel size) and field-of-view (FOV) to correspond to the region of interest (ROI) and diagnostic task. In some cases, it is possible to achieve good diagnostic data at the same or even lower dose than with 2D imaging. This is especially important for pediatric patients. It should also be noted that low dose 3D image data can offer even better diagnostic results in some diagnostic tasks performed in the head and neck region (e.g. sinus imaging, cervical vertebra).
3D imaging has also brought some new challenges for imaging professionals. The interpretation of three-dimensional image data requires more time and special expertise; among other things, an extensive knowledge of anatomy and pathology and software expertise. By understanding the imaging values, voxel size, and field-of-view choices, the user can significantly influence the patient’s radiation burden and the amount of 3D data that needs to be interpreted.
During Imaqen 3D imaging training courses we go through the important basics of 3D imaging, most commonly used application areas and issues related to radiation safety in a pragmatic way. The aim is to equip you with knowledge and skills you can immediately implement to your daily work. If you are considering a purchase of a new device to your clinic, we’ll give you good advice and helpful tips to assist you to choose the most suitable 3D imaging device from the many available choices. The 3D imaging keeps evolving rapidly, so we can look forward to many more advances and improvements in the field of diagnostic imaging.
