Avaliação anatômica do canal nasopalatino por meio de TCFC: validação de método em software de código aberto

Abstract

Objective: Development and validation (using open source software) of a method for volumetric and linear assessment of the nasopalatine channel (NPC) and annexes using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study of 276 CBCTs. Acquisition was performed on a Prexion 3D computerized tomography scanner, using voxels of 0.08 mm and 0.14 mm, (with FOV at 5 and 12 cm). The images were compiled and divided according to gender, the dental condition of the maxilla and age. Evaluation took place on a MacBook Pro computer using the Horos Project program (Version 3.3.5). Linear measurements and NPC volumetric evaluations were performed after correcting the orientation axes (axial and sagittal). The length, pencil and ROI volume tools were used. Results: The average age for men was 60.15 ± 11.94, for women it was 59.95 ± 10.63. Respectively, for men and women, the average NPC volume values were: 68.59 mm3 and 59.37 mm3 (p = 0.032), for length they were 10.08 mm and 8.84 mm (p = 0.000). Of the dentate participants, the NPC averages for volume for men and women were, respectively: 71.01 mm3 and 57.18 mm3 (p = 0.007), for linear length they were 10.26 mm and 9.14 mm (p = 0.001). In the edentulous, the average NPC lengths were 9.79 mm (men) and 8.37 mm (women) (p = 0.005) and the average for volume of CNP was 64.72 mm3 (men) and 62.89 mm3 (women) (p = 0.327). Regarding the number of nasal foramen (NF) among the group of edentulous patients, a higher prevalence of a NF was found for both sexes (p = 0.042). The average age for dentate was 58,49 ± 11,02 and for edentulous was 62,55 ± 11,30. The average length of the CNP for dentate and edentulous was: 9.69 mm and 9.08 mm, respectively (p = 0.042). The number of NF varied between toothed and edentulous (p = 0.02) and between toothed and edentulous women (p = 0.006), for both groups, the highest prevalence of a single FN was between edentulous and two FN among dentates. Conclusion: Volumetric and linear evaluation indicate NPC's morphological differences. For linear and volumetric NPC assessment, the post-processing method used in the Horos software was considered to be a new, precise and easy-to-use.