DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOMATED REGISTRATION ALGORITHMS FOR SUBTRACTION RADIOGRAPHY

An algorithm is described which provides necessary information for aut omated registration and computation of alveolar height for subtraction radiographic analysis. This procedure involves identification of the cemento-enamel junctions from radiographic images by incrementally com paring a characteristic image signature along computed tooth boundarie s. The identification of these anatomically invariant structures provi des information necessary to warp images and create automatic superimp osition, correcting for geometric misalignment. The present report des cribes and demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing automated CEJ, ed ge finding and image warping algorithms to align automatically sequent ial radiographs and permit their subtraction.