A Brief Review on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Versus Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Diagnosis of Periapical Pathosis

Objective: The diagnosis of any dental pathology can range from simple to difficult. While cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is widely used, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is still a proof of concept. The purpose of this review is to compare the diagnostic ability of MRI and CBCT in the diagnosis of periapical pathosis.

Materials and Methods: To identify relevant articles from 2010 to 2020, a systematic search was conducted using the electronic databases MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. Magnetic resonance imaging, cone beam computed tomography, diagnosis, and periapical diseases were the search terms used.

Results: There were 3218 potentially relevant abstracts and titles identified in total. Following the removal of duplicates, 1288 articles were reviewed for titles and abstracts, and 29 were chosen for full-text reading. From those, 19 articles were chosen for the systematic review, which included original research studies, case reports, and case series. The majority of the studies included in this review suggested that combining CBCT and MRI is required for a better and more precise diagnosis of complex periapical pathoses. The primary advantage of MRI is its ability to image soft tissues with nonionizing radiation, whereas the primary disadvantage of CBCT is overdiagnosis of the lesion.

Conclusion: MRI has several advantages over CBCT in terms of diagnostic utility. When diagnosing periapical pathogens, both MRI and CBCT are needed for an accurate diagnosis.