A Study Comparing The Reliability And Accuracy Of Various Cephalometric Softwares To Hand Tracings

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Cephalometry is extensively used indiagnosis, planning & evaluation of craniofacial development and growth. Both manual and digital techniques can be used to perform cephalometric tracings.

Material and methods: A sample of 40 pre-treatment lateral cephalograms of the individuals were traced manually on the lead acetate sheets and 23 cephalometric measurements were obtained. The soft copies of the same 40 lateral cephalogramswere imported to three computer-aided softwares i.e. NemoCeph, AutoCEPH, UniCeph; the same landmarks used in manual tracing were marked in the digital tracing softwares and the measurements were computed. The collected data was then tabulated, analyzed and subjected to statistical tests.

Results: All the 23 parameters tested using NemoCeph tracing software showed significant correlation with manual tracings while 22 out of 23 parameters tested using AutoCEPH tracing software showed significant correlationexcept linear measurement i.e. LI to A-Pog line. 22 out of 23 parameters tested using UniCeph tracing software showed significant correlation with manual tracing except angular measurement i.e. UI to SN Angle.

Conclusion: The digital cephalometric tracings using all three cephalometric softwares were as reliable and accurate as manual tracings.

Keywords: Lateral cephalogram, manual cephalometric tracings, digital cephalometric tracings, NemoCeph, AutoCEPH, UniCeph