Clinical Research Directory

Can Dental Dedicated MRI Replace Low-dose CBCT Scanning in Dentistry

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has is a useful diagnostic tool that offers advantages over conventional radiography techniques. Unlike traditional X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scans, MRI utilizes a magnetic field and radio waves to generate detailed and high-resolution images of the body's internal structures. This non-invasive imaging modality allows the clinician to better see soft tissues in 3D without the use of ionising radiation. Furthermore, MRI enables the detection and characterization of a wide range of pathologies which can lead to improved diagnostic capabilities and better patient outcomes. To date, the use of MRI in dentistry has been limited as dentistry imaging focuses predominantly on hard tissues (teeth and bones) in addition to the higher cost and accessibility issues with MRI machines. However, recent developments have led to the development of a dental-specific coil for use with a low field strength (0.55 Tesla) MRI scanner. This has resulted in high diagnostic quality soft and hard tissue images and reduced imaging time. As this imaging modality has rarely been used before in dentistry, the aim of this study is to investigate its use for dental imaging, refining parameters and assessing the diagnostic quality of dental scans taken using MRI and the specific dental coil.