Assessment of 3D Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Early Detection of Periapical Lesions: A Prospective Clinical Study

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic potentials of 3D cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in comparison with conventional two-dimensional radiographic methods in early detection of periapical lesions. Materials and Methods: Participants included 63 subjects with suspected periapical pathology. A sample of 25 patients received CBCT evaluation (Group A) and 38 patients were evaluated using conventional radiographic techniques (Group B). Detection rates, sensitivity, and specificity were determined for each method. SigmaPlot (v11.0) was used to perform all statistical analyses. For categorical data, chi-squared analysis was used, and for continuous data, unpaired t-test analysis was used. Results: The use of CBCT (Group A) showed a significantly higher detection rate of periapical lesions (89%) than that of Group B (68%), (P<.001). Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of CBCT were 92% and 88%, respectively while those of traditional radiography were 75% and 78%, and there was statistical significance between the two diagnostic methods for sensitivity and specificity (P<.05). Conclusion: As a result, it can be concluded from the study that 3D cone beam computed tomography plays a pivotal role in the early detection of periapical lesions compared to the traditional methods. The augmented sensitivity and specificity of CBCT enhances the possibility for the CBCT to become a potential conventional diagnostic aid in endodontics.