Image distortion in rotational panoramic radiography. VI. Distortion effects in sliding systems.

A mathematical model for calculating the form distortion in rotational panoramic radiographic systems with a sliding beam path and an elliptical form of the sharply depicted plane was developed. The distortion of a spherical model object was calculated for two different systems exemplifying properties of commercially available equipment. The spherical object was distorted toward an ovoid shape in the image. No marked deviations were found between this ovoid distortion and the ellipsoid distortion previously calculated for a theoretical system having a constant effective projection radius and a cylindrical form of the sharply depicted plane. Except for extremely displaced objects in the anterior region the form reproduction in sliding rotational panoramic systems seems to be satisfactory for clinical purposes.