Purpose: The dual imaging plate (DIP) method, which synthesizes intraoral radiographs from a front imaging plate (FIP) and a back imaging plate (BIP), produces adequate image quality and allows the radiation dose to be reduced. However, there are slight errors in superimposition and alignment between the FIP and BIP. The aim of this study was to establish positional correction in the DIP method and evaluate the effect.
Methods: Six sets of two imaging plates were used for imaging a mesh plate and a porcine mandible phantom. Subtraction images between FIP and BIP images were synthesized in four steps: correcting horizontal and vertical direction, rotation, enlargement ratio, and enlargement ratio into 12 blocks. Variance of the pixel value on the subtraction images at each step was compared to evaluate the alignment of FIP and BIP images.
Results: The variance of the pixel values in the subtraction images was gradually and significantly decreased by each step of image processing (P < 0.01), indicating that the degree of alignment of FIP and BIP images improved during the image processing.
Conclusion: The present study revealed that it is possible to synthesize more precise DIP images using an additional four-step image processing technique.
Keywords: dual imaging plate; image processing; intraoral radiography; subtraction.