Background/purpose: Recently, an artificial intelligence-based computer-assisted diagnosis (AI-CAD) for panoramic radiography was developed to scan the inferior margin of the mandible and automatically evaluate mandibular cortical morphology. The aim of this study was to analyze quantitatively the mandibular cortical morphology using the AI-CAD, especially focusing on underlying diseases and dental status in women over 20 years of age.
Materials and methods: 419 patients in women over 20 years of age who underwent panoramic radiography were included in this study. The mandibular cortical morphology was analyzed with an AI-CAD that evaluated the degree of deformation of the mandibular inferior cortex (MIC) and mandibular cortical index (MCI) automatically. Those were analyzed in relation to underlying diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, rheumatism and osteoporosis, and dental status, such as the number of teeth present in the maxilla and mandible.
Results: The degree of deformation of MIC in women under 51 years of age (21-50 years; n = 229, 16.0 ± 12.7) was significantly lower than those of over 50 years of age (51-90 years; n = 190, 45.1 ± 23.0), and the MCI was a significant difference for the different age group. Regarding the degree of deformation of MIC and MCI in women over 50 years of age, osteoporosis and number of total teeth present in the maxilla and mandible were significant differences.
Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that the mandibular cortical morphology using the AI-CAD is significantly related to osteoporosis and dental status in women over 50 years of age.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence; Computer-assisted diagnosis; Mandibular cortical index; Osteoporosis; Panoramic radiography; Women.
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