Purpose: To establish a new method for dental imaging using magnetic resonance tomography named Dental-MRT and to demonstrate its usefulness in diagnosing dentogen pathologies of the mandible and maxilla.
Methods: Seven healthy volunteers, three patients with pulpitis, two patients with dentigerous cysts, two patients after tooth transplantation, and three patients with atrophic mandibles have been evaluated. Optimized axial T1- and T2-weighted gradient echo and spin echo sequences in 2D and 3D technique have been established to perform studies of the jaws. The acquired images were reconstructed with a standard dental software package on a work-station as panorama and cross-sectional views of the mandible or maxilla.
Results: The entire maxillo-mandibular bone, teeth, dental pulp, and the content of the mandibular canal were well depicted. Patients with pulpitis demonstrate bone marrow edema in the periapical region. Dentigerous cysts and their relation to the surrounding structures are clearly shown. After contrast media administration marked enhancement of the dental pulp can be demonstrated.
Conclusion: Dental-MRT promises to provide a new tool for visualization and detection of dental diseases.