Objectives: The aim of the present study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of F-speed conventional film, unenhanced digital images and inversion-enhanced digital images for the detection of osseous defects in patients with vertical bone defects.
Methods: 23 vertical osseous defects in the mandible were evaluated. Intrasurgical measurements were made from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the deepest extension of the osseous defects by one of the researchers. Radiographic measurements were obtained on conventional F-speed film, unenhanced digital images and inversion-enhanced digital images by six examiners. From each measure the corresponding probe measure was subtracted to form a difference score.
Results: Significant differences in means of difference scores were found among examiners within each imaging modality, and among the modalities within five of the six examiners. A significant (P<0.001) interaction term for the ANOVA indicated that differences among modality means were not the same across all examiners. The difference means were significantly different from zero for five of the six examiners with conventional F-speed film, four of six with inversion enhanced digital images, but for only one of six for unenhanced digital images. The reliability coefficient computed on a per examiner basis was 0.90 for conventional F-speed film, 0.94 for unenhanced digital image and 0.79 for inversion-enhanced digital image.
Conclusions: In this study, unenhanced digital imaging was found to be superior to conventional F-speed film and inversion-enhanced digital images for accurately imaging periodontal osseous defects in patients.