Experiment with supine panoramic X-ray equipment in the diagnosis of maxillo-facial fractures.

The material consist of 120 patients with facial trauma. X-ray examination was performed with an experimental panoramic tomography unit designed to examine patients with multiple injuries who could not be examined in standing position. In addition to panoramic examination, a conventional x-ray study was performed on all patients. In all, there was 39 fractures (23 mandibular, 16 middle third of facial skeleton). The equipment was suitable for diagnosis of mandibular fractures. However, for the diagnosis of mid-face fractures the supine orthopantomogram yielded only supplementary information to the conventional radiographs.