'Direct DICOM slice landmarking' a novel research technique to quantify skeletal changes in orthognathic surgery

Almukhtar, A. , Khambay, B., Ayoub, A. , Ju, X., Al-Hiyali, A., MacDonald, J., Jabar, N. and Goto, T. (2015) 'Direct DICOM slice landmarking' a novel research technique to quantify skeletal changes in orthognathic surgery. PLoS ONE, 10(8), e0131540. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0131540) (PMID:26252768) (PMCID:PMC4529249)

Abstract

The limitations of the current methods of quantifying the surgical movements of facial bones inspired this study. The aim of this study was the assessment of the accuracy and reproducibility of directly landmarking of 3D DICOM images (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) to quantify the changes in the jaw bones following surgery. The study was carried out on plastic skull to simulate the surgical movements of the jaw bones. Cone beam CT scans were taken at 3mm, 6mm, and 9mm maxillary advancement; together with a 2mm, 4mm, 6mm and 8mm “down graft” which in total generated 12 different positions of the maxilla for the analysis. The movements of the maxilla were calculated using two methods, the standard approach where distances between surface landmarks on the jaw bones were measured and the novel approach where measurements were taken directly from the internal structures of the corresponding 3D DICOME slices. A one sample t-test showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two methods of measurements for the y and z directions, however, the x direction showed a significant difference. The mean difference between the two absolute measurements were 0.34±0.20mm, 0.22±0.16mm, 0.18±0.13mm in the y, z and x directions respectively. In conclusion, the direct landmarking of 3D DICOM image slices is a reliable, reproducible and informative method for assessment of the 3D skeletal changes. The method has a clear clinical application which includes the analysis of the jaw movements “orthognathic surgery” for the correction of facial deformities.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ju, Dr Xiangyang and Ayoub, Professor Ashraf and Khambay, Dr Balvinder and Almukhtar, Dr Anas
• Authors: Almukhtar, A., Khambay, B., Ayoub, A., Ju, X., Al-Hiyali, A., MacDonald, J., Jabar, N., and Goto, T.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing > Dental School
• Journal Name: PLoS ONE
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• ISSN (Online): 1932-6203
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2015 Almukhtar et al.
• First Published: First published in PLoS ONE 10(8):e0131540
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License