CBCT: A Patient's Perspective

A new technology is changing the way a general dentist or specialist looks at patients - literally.
No longer do they need to rely only on two dimensional x-rays for diagnosis, treatment planning and patient education. X-rays now come in three and even four dimensions, including manipulation of those images with new programs.

Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) in dentistry is high resolution, low distortion, digital imaging of the hard tissues of the head. Instead of pixels, the resolution is measured in voxels, and often is sharper than a conventional CT. Cone-beam refers to the cone shape of the x-ray beam, unlike conventional CT, which uses a fan-shaped beam to create multiple thin slices.
But how to explain this to your patients? An interesting post by L. Emmott in dentalblogs.com describes, in lame man's words, Cone Beam CT:
"To get an understanding of what makes cone beam ct (Also known as CBVT; Cone Beam Volumetric Tomography) different imagine that you are Superman. Superman of course has x-ray vision. As Superman you could stand beside Lois Lane and focus your x-ray vision on her lower 1st molar and view an image of the tooth that is similar to a traditional radiograph. Now imagine that as Superman you can fly around Lois and view her molar from any angle; from the lingual from the mesial even straight up from the root tips. That (and more) is what cone Beam CT allows us to do."
Layers can be “peeled away” to show hidden underlying anatomical structures and defects, slice thickness changed, the structures tilted, zoomed and highlighted. These are views that most dentists have never seen. Treatment decisions can change drastically with the advent of advanced views.


And unlike conventional CT, which must make multiple passes and takes up to 45 minutes for usable images, CBCT 360-degree scans are of a single, large area in which the x-ray source and a reciprocating area detector move in tandem around the patient’s head, and takes only seconds to be created.
This makes a big difference in radiation exposure for the patient: up to 33 times less radiation compared to conventional CT.
CBCT also translates into much lower cost for the patient running from $75 to $400, depending on services and scans provided. Making CBCT a winner for patients from all perspectives.


References:
www.dentalblogs.com
Barbara Mcconnell, Medical News,inc.