THE ROLE OF 3-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY IN THE EVALUATION OF ACUTE CRANIOFACIAL TRAUMA

Three-dimensional computed tomographic (3-D CT) reformations together with their corresponding conventional axial two-dimensional (2-D) CT i mages of 20 patients with facial fractures were compared with 2-D CT a lone to define their usefulness in the determination of facial skeleta l fracture patterns. Nine surgeons with three different levels of expe rience and training evaluated the presence and spatial arrangement of fractures in all 2-D CT and 3-D CT scans. Comparisons were made betwee n their evaluations of 2-D CT alone and 2-D CT plus 3-D CT scans. Stat istical analyses with Friedman's test were performed. The addition of 3-D CT did not alter the interpretation of 2-D CT in 75% of evaluation s. The number and accuracy of the changes made with the aid of 3-D CT reflected the experience of the observers. Overall, there was no impro vement in the accuracy of interpretations with the addition of 3-D CT.