Development and evaluation of a phantom for CBCT image quality control of dental hygienists

Objectives: We developed a phantom to assess the quality of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images using materials commonly used in dentistry. This study aimed to raise awareness and promote ongoing education for dental hygienists in the f ield of CBCT image quality control. Methods: The phantom and instruments were scanned using CBCT at 80 kVp and 10 mA, with an exposure time of 17s. The images were evaluated for contrast resolution, uniformity, and metal artifacts. The acquired images were extracted and analyzed in the DICOM format using On-Demand 3D software. Results: The images showed various grayscale contrast across all five materials. Uniformity was measured in five regions of the phantom, with average gray scale values ranging from -81.2~-68.1. The evaluation of the metal artifacts revealed that the cylindrical titanium block exhibited the least magnification, whereas the triangular block exhibited the most. Conclusion: Dental hygienists should be aware that CBCT images may contain errors and focus on maintaining the image quality and engaging in continuous education.