Quantitative assessment of variation in CBCT image technical parameters related to CBCT detector lateral-offset position

Objectives: To assess the effect of CBCT detector position (aligned/lateral-offset) on image technical parameters (mean voxel value - MVV, standard deviation of voxel value (SDVV) distribution), comparing peripheral regions of interest (ROIs) to the central ROI in CBCT volumes. Methods: 40 CBCT volumes of a wax phantom were acquired in six units with aligned and/or lateral-offset detectors: Cranex 3Dx (CRA), Ortophos SL (ORT), Picasso Trio (PIC), Promax 3D Mid (PRO), Scanora 3D (SCA), and X1. Four image-acquisition protocols used an aligned detector, and four a lateral-offset detector. In each volume, 13 ROIs (12 peripheral and 1 central) were evaluated. MVV and SDVV of the peripheral ROI were compared to those of the central ROI in the volume. MVVD (the difference in percentage, between the MVV of a peripheral and the central ROI) was calculated. Results: For aligned-detectors, MVV increased (ORT and PRO) or decreased (CRA and X1) in the ROIs farther from the centre. For lateral-offset detectors, ROIs farther from the centre showed increased MVV. SDVV for most aligned detectors was lower, the nearer the ROI was to the centre. For lateral-offset detectors, it was lower for the peripheral ROIs, except with PIC. Range for MVVD was −32.8% to 22.8% for units with aligned detectors, and −20.7% to 69.5% for lateral-offset detectors. Conclusion: Lateral-offset detectors to acquire CBCT images significantly change SDVV distribution within the field-of-view, and lead to MVVD with increased range, compared to aligned detectors. This must be taken in consideration in the clinic, if voxel-value dependent measurements are to be performed.