Root Canal Detection on Endodontic Radiographs with Use of Viterbi Algorithm
Source abstract
Abstract
Periapical radiographs remain the first-line imaging modality in endodontics due to accessibility and low radiation dose, whereas cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is reserved for inconclusive cases or suspected anatomical complexity. We propose a physics- and geometry-aware preprocessing pipeline coupled with sliding-window Viterbi tracking to enhance canal visibility and recover plausible root canal trajectories directly from routine periapical images. The pipeline standardizes row-wise brightness, compensates for the cone-like tooth density profile (Tukey window), and suppresses noise prior to dynamic-programming inference, requiring only minimal operator input (two-point orientation and region of interest). In a retrospective evaluation against micro-computed tomography (micro-CT)/CBCT reference anatomy, the approach accurately localized canals on periapicals under study conditions, suggesting potential as a rapid, chairside aid when 3D imaging is unavailable or deferred.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Dental Radiography and Imaging · Endodontics and Root Canal Treatments · Medical Imaging Techniques and Applications
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Montelupich 4, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
Department of Signal Processing and Multimedia Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, 70-310 Szczecin, Poland
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 30-663 Kraków, Poland
Institute of Electronics, Łódź University of Technology, 93-590 Łódź, Poland
Department of Histology and Embryology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
Department of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, AGH University of Kraków, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, AGH University of Kraków, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
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