CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ORTHOPANTOMOGRAPH(R) OP-100

Objective: To investigate empirically the imaging characteristics of t he Orthopantomograph(R) OP 100 and compare them to the average form of the dental arch. Methods: Repeatable radiographs were taken of a lead resolution grid positioned at I mm increments along known angular int ervals of the projected X-ray beam. Focal trough thickness was determi ned by visibility of the 1.5 lp mm(-1) resolution limits. The path of the effective rotation center was determined using a film positioned a t right angles to the slit beam. The vertical magnification and horizo ntal magnification and distortion index, corrected for the position of the tomographic layer, were calculated using a reference object place d at various resolution limits of the focal trough. The beam projectio n angle was calculated with respect to the central plane of the focal trough and the average dental arch shape compared with the average pro ximal contact angle. Results: The maximum resolution observed at the c entral plane of the focal trough was 5 lp mm(-1). The width of the foc al trough varied from 17 mm in the anterior region to 44 mm in the pos terior region. The path of the effective rotation center was found to translate between three fixed centers of rotation, with the effective anterior projection radius of 24 mm. The vertical magnification factor within the focal trough showed a linear increase along the beam path from 1.24-1.37 and the horizontal magnification varied from 1.01-1.63. The distortion index varied from 0.84-1.24. The beam projection angle increased from 90 degrees anteriorly to 115 degrees in the premolar a rea with respect to the central plane of the focal trough and from 90 degrees anteriorly to 110 degrees in the premolar area compared with t he average dental arch. Conclusions: The OP 100 provides a focal troug h conforming well to the overall geometry of the dental arch and provi des adequate spatial resolution.