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3D imaging vs. traditional 2D imaging: Why does CBCT win?
With the advancement of technology, the field of medical imaging has also undergone tremendous changes. Sharp 3D imaging technology is increasingly used in diagnosis and treatment planning, while traditional 2D imaging is beginning to fall short in some key areas. Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is a new imaging technology that emerged in this context. CBCT, with its unique cone-shaped X-ray technology, provides more accurate and detailed three-dimensional imaging data for oral and maxillofacial radiology, otolaryngology and other medical fields.
CBCT has been considered the gold standard for imaging of the oral and maxillofacial regions.
History and Development of CBCT
CBCT technology originated in the late 1990s when two doctors, Yoshinori Arai from Japan and Piero Mozzo from Italy, independently developed the technology. In 1996, the first commercial CBCT device, NewTom 9000, was launched in the European market and entered the US market in 2001. Since then, CBCT has gradually been widely used in more fields such as dental surgery, root canal treatment and braces care.
The CBCT scanner rotates around the patient's head, taking up to 600 different images.
Application of CBCT in different fields
Dental
In the field of dentistry, the unique advantage of CBCT is that it can reveal root canal anatomical features that cannot be clearly displayed by traditional 2D images. According to the American Society of Endodontics, the three-dimensional images produced by CBCT can enhance diagnostic accuracy and influence treatment plans, making its use indispensable.
Plastic Surgery
CBCT scanners provide distortion-free images of the limbs, especially weight-bearing images of the foot and ankle, greatly improving the accuracy of diagnosis and surgical planning. This technology is called WBCT (Weight Bearing CT), which can combine three-dimensional images and weight-bearing information, which is crucial for diagnosis.
Interventional Radiology
The application of CBCT in interventional radiology not only improves the accuracy of image guidance, but also significantly reduces the radiation exposure of patients. CBCT provides real-time images even during rapid-fire procedures, significantly improving the safety and effectiveness of procedures such as tumor resection and other medical procedures.
In interventional radiology, the use of CBCT can improve the success rate of diagnostic and therapeutic operations.
Comparison of CBCT and traditional 2D imaging
Compared with traditional 2D images, the advantages of CBCT are mainly reflected in the following aspects: First, stereoscopic vision. CBCT can provide detailed views of three-dimensional structures to help doctors understand the anatomy more clearly. This is particularly important in fields such as dentistry; the second is accuracy. CBCT images can reveal lesions or defects that are not easily detected by 2D images. In addition, CBCT has a shorter scanning time and the patient's radiation exposure is relatively lower than that of conventional CT.
From data collection to image reconstruction, CBCT's processing speed is significantly faster than traditional CT.
Challenges and future prospects of CBCT
Although CBCT has performed exceptionally well in many application areas, the technology still faces certain challenges, including image quality and image reconstruction time issues. In interventional radiology, CBCT still needs to overcome the effects of motion artifacts and radiation scatter on image quality. With the further development of technology in the future, these problems may be gradually solved. Researchers are exploring new algorithms in the hope of improving the clarity and accuracy of images.
With the advancement of CBCT technology and its advantages in clinical applications, the medical community is full of expectations for the prospects of this technology. In future development, will CBCT become the standard for medical imaging in various fields?
