Dolphin 3D used in study to determine reliability of 3D landmark identification on cone beam CT

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, February 2010—A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics, Chapel Hill, used Dolphin 3D software to determine if it is indeed possible to reliably identify three-dimensional Cephalometric landmarks on a cone beam CT dataset. Titled “Observer reliability of three-dimensional cephalometric landmark identification on cone-beam computerized tomography” and published in the February issue of Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology (Volume 107, Issue 2, Pages 256-265), the authors concluded that:

“Overall, the intra- and inter-observer reliability was excellent. Three dimensional landmark identification from CBCT images can offer consistent and reproducible data, if a protocol for operator training and calibration is followed. Utilization of cross-sectional slices in all 3 views of space take full advantage of the 3D CBCT information, while landmark location on the 3D renderings can lead to errors. This is particularly important for landmarks not easily specified in all three planes of space.”

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Landmarks displayed in the 3D rendering. Note that landmark locations appear distorted for landmarks located away from the center of the projected rendered view.