Abstract
The start of radiology classes at the Osaka Dental University and diagnostic imaging at the hospital date back to 1917, which was about the same time as the current Tokyo Dental College (1914) and the current Nihon Dental University (1916). Until now, research on the actual number of examinations and their transition performed at the Central Imaging Center in the Osaka Dental University Hospital has been insufficient, and the role of the center in this Hospital has not been clearly defined. Therefore, the purpose of this survey was to investigate the actual number of examinations and their transition performed at the central imaging center over the past 10 years, and to clarify the future role of the Center and the Department of Oral Radiology.
The survey was conducted on patients who visited the University Hospital and underwent imaging examinations in the Central Imaging Center between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2020. The number of examinations since 2010 has been increasing every year, with the highest number of 33,403 in 2019. A total of 269,170 imaging examinations was performed for the past 10 years. The number of examinations including MRI has increased 1.4 times from 24,106 to 33,403 in the last 10 years, and the number of examinations is expected to increase further in the future. In particular, the number of dental cone-beam CT examinations increased remarkably, approximately six times.
Based on the results of this survey, the role of dental cone-beam CT is expected to increase in the future, and the application of MRI in the diagnosis of temporomandibular joint disorder and oral lesions is also expected to expand. For imaging diagnosis, knowledge of the device principles, imaging anatomy, and diagnostic techniques of dental cone-beam CT and MRI will be also required. Based on this knowledge, we will continue to devote ourselves to clinical practice, education, and research in order to fulfill the roles of the Central Imaging Center in the Osaka Dental University hospital and the Department of Oral Radiology in the university. Shika Igaku (J Osaka Odontol Soc) 2022; Mar; 85(1): 14-20.
