Amaechi Bennett T, Podoleanu Adrian Gh, Komarov Gleb, Higham Susan M, Jackson David A
Cariology Unit, Department of Community Dentistry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas, USA.
Oral Health Prev Dent. 2004;2(4):377-82.
The use of transverse microradiography (TMR) to quantify the amount of mineral lost during demineralization of tooth tissue has long been established. In the present study, the use of an en-face Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) technology to detect and quantitatively monitor the mineral changes in root caries was investigated and correlated with TMR.
We used an OCT system, developed initially for retina imaging, and which can collect A-scans, B-scans (longitudinal images) and C-scans (en-face images) to quantitatively assess the development of root caries. The power to the sample was 250 microW, wavelength lambda = 850 nm and the optical source linewidth was 16 microm.
Both the transversal and longitudinal images showed the caries lesion as volumes of reduced reflectivity. Quantitative analysis using the A-scan (reflectivity versus depth curve) showed that the tissue reflectivity decreased with increasing demineralization time. A linear correlation (r = 0.957) was observed between the mineral loss measured by TMR and the percentage reflectivity loss in demineralized tissue measured by OCT.
We concluded that OCT could be used to detect incipient root caries, and that the reflectivity loss in root tissue during demineralization, measured by OCT, could be related to the amount of mineral lost during the demineralization.
长期以来，横向显微放射照相术（TMR）一直被用于量化牙齿组织脱矿过程中矿物质流失的量。在本研究中，研究了使用正面光学相干断层扫描（OCT）技术检测和定量监测根龋中的矿物质变化，并将其与TMR相关联。
我们使用了一种最初为视网膜成像开发的OCT系统，该系统可以收集A扫描、B扫描（纵向图像）和C扫描（正面图像），以定量评估根龋的发展情况。施加到样品的功率为250微瓦，波长λ = 850纳米，光源线宽为16微米。
横向和纵向图像均显示龋损为反射率降低的区域。使用A扫描（反射率与深度曲线）进行的定量分析表明，随着脱矿时间的增加，组织反射率降低。在TMR测量的矿物质损失与OCT测量的脱矿组织中反射率损失百分比之间观察到线性相关性（r = 0.957）。
我们得出结论，OCT可用于检测早期根龋，并且OCT测量的脱矿过程中根组织的反射率损失可能与脱矿过程中矿物质流失的量有关。
