Comparison between Panoramic Radiographic Techniques

Radiation absorbed doses to organs of special interest, such as the salivary glands and the thyroid gland, in panoramic radiography were measured with thermoluminescence dosemeters in a skull phantom. A Siemens Orthopantomograph, Model OP 10, with a constant potential generator was used. The parotid gland received a mean dose of 0.3 mGy and the submandibular gland 0.2 mGy. The mucous membrane in the palate as well as the floor of the mouth received 0.1 mGy. The dose to the thyroid gland was 0.03 mGy. The energy imparted to the patient was calculated as 0.3 mJ. The energy imparted was found to be a more reliable quantity than the absorbed doses when comparing different panoramic machines.