INTERPRETATION OF PERIAPICAL LESIONS COMPARING CONVENTIONAL, DIRECT DIGITAL, AND TELEPHONICALLY TRANSMITTED RADIOGRAPHIC IMAGES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate direct digital radiography ( DDR) and telephonically transmitted images versus conventional radiogr aphy in the interpretation of artificial periapical bone lesions. Five teeth were chosen from four cadaver jaw specimens. Three types of DDR images were evaluated: DDR stored images, DDR transmitted images, and DDR reversed images. A total of 150 DDR computer monitor images and 5 6 D-speed film images were evaluated by three endodontists and one end odontic graduate student. The Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was used for statistical analyses of the results. DDR reversed images were statisti cally inferior to DDR stored images, DDR transmitted images, and conve ntional radiography images (p < 0.0001). There were no statistically s ignificant differences between DDR stored images, DDR transmitted imag es, and conventional film images in the ability of the evaluator to id entify artificial periapical bone lesions (p > 0.05).