Microradiography and microcomputed tomography comparative analysis in human bone cores harvested after maxillary sinus augmentation: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to compare microradiography (MR) and microcomputed tomography (μCT) analysis of bone samples following maxillary sinus augmentation at different time periods and determine the relationships between measured area and volume fractions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Lateral window sinus grafts were performed on 10 patients using a mineralized human bone allograft (MHBA). At implant placement, 5-13 months after surgery, 10 bone core biopsies were harvested. Prior to histologic sectioning, bone samples were evaluated with μCT. The morphometric parameters computed by MR and μCT were compared using Pearson's correlation and Bland and Altman analysis and included hard tissue fraction (HV/TV:%), soft tissue fraction (SV/TV:%), vital bone fraction (BV/TV:%) and residual graft fraction (GV/TV:%).

RESULTS

Strong positive correlation between MR and μCT was found for HV/TV and SV/TV and BV/TV [r = 0.84, 0.84 and 0.69, respectively] but weak for GV/TV [r = 0.10].

CONCLUSION

μCT technology shows promising potential as an indicator of bone morphology changes; however, caution should be used in interpreting morphometric parameters, as the different methods reveal important biases.