In Vivo Determination of Radiographic Projection Errors Produced by a Novel Filmholder and an X-Ray Beam Manipulator

Subtraction radiography requires radiographs made with identical projection geometry. The purpose of the present investigation was to develop and evaluate a new in vivo method to measure angular radiographic projection error. This included the development of a system for accurate control of the x-ray beam angulation relative to the intraoral film and the evaluation of the in vivo projection errors (equivalent to the “angular difference” between repeated exposures) produced by the new system. A filmholder, an x-ray beam manipulator, and an aiming device were newly constructed. Reference wires were attached for measuring the projection error on the filmholder and on the 22 bicuspids at the sites of investigation in 16 patients. Two exposures using standardized projection conditions were made of each site. The relative position of the reference wires on the duplicate radiographs was used to calculate the angular difference in the direction of the x-ray beam which occurred between the 2 exposures. Triplicate ...