Evaluating free segmentation tools for CBCT-derived models: Cost-effective solutions

Noha M Elkersh; Hams H Abdelrahman; Mohamed G Hassan

doi:10.1111/ocr.12799

Evaluating free segmentation tools for CBCT-derived models: Cost-effective solutions

Orthod Craniofac Res. 2024 Apr 26. doi: 10.1111/ocr.12799. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Noha M Elkersh¹, Hams H Abdelrahman², Mohamed G Hassan^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral Medicine, Periodontology, Oral Diagnosis and Oral Radiology, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
² Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health, Faculty of Dentistry, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
³ Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
⁴ Division of Bone and Mineral Diseases, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.

PMID: 38666318
DOI: 10.1111/ocr.12799

Abstract

Objectives: This study evaluated the segmentation accuracy and reliability of free software packages and compared them with commercial alternatives.

Material and methods: A total of 36 stone models were scanned using a desktop scanner and then imaged by cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The CBCT volumes were segmented using 2 free software packages (3D Slicer and Blue Sky Plan) and 2 commercial software packages (Mimics and OnDemand3D). Stereolithography (STL) files generated by the desktop scanner were used as the control group (reference models). The accuracy of segmentation was evaluated by (1) comparing 6 linear measurements taken from each STL model generated by the 4 software packages with that obtained by the scanner, and (2) deviation analysis of each STL model generated by the 4 software packages with that obtained by the scanner. Absolute error and percentage error, repeated measures anova and Friedman test followed by post hoc analysis, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Pearson's r were used to evaluate the accuracy of the tested software packages.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference in all intra-arch measurements obtained using the four software packages. Measurements obtained using the free software packages and the scanner showed excellent positive correlation, ranging from 0.825 to 0.988, confirming equivalence with commercial software packages.

Conclusion: Within the settings of the current study, accurate and time-saving segmentations with high positive correlation could be performed using the tested free segmentation software packages (3D Slicer and Blue Sky Plan). Nevertheless, further evaluation is necessary to gage their accuracy using different CBCT modalities.

Keywords: digital dentistry; digital workflow; digitization; free software; segmentation.