Automatic 3-dimensional quantification of orthodontically induced root resorption in cone-beam computed tomography images based on deep learning

Qianhan Zheng; Lei Ma; Yongjia Wu; Yu Gao; Huimin Li; Jiaqi Lin; Shuhong Qing; Dan Long; Xuepeng Chen; Weifang Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2024.09.009

Automatic 3-dimensional quantification of orthodontically induced root resorption in cone-beam computed tomography images based on deep learning

Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop. 2024 Nov 4:S0889-5406(24)00422-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2024.09.009. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Qianhan Zheng¹, Lei Ma², Yongjia Wu¹, Yu Gao¹, Huimin Li¹, Jiaqi Lin¹, Shuhong Qing¹, Dan Long³, Xuepeng Chen⁴, Weifang Zhang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
² Department of Control Science and Engineering, School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
³ Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
⁴ Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Social Medicine and Health Affairs Administration, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39503671
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2024.09.009

Abstract

Introduction: Orthodontically induced root resorption (OIRR) is a common and undesirable consequence of orthodontic treatment. Traditionally, studies employ manual methods to conduct 3-dimensional quantitative analysis of OIRR via cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), which is often subjective and time-consuming. With advancements in computer technology, deep learning-based approaches have gained traction in medical image processing. This study presents a deep learning-based model for the fully automatic extraction of root volume information and the localization of root resorption from CBCT images.

Methods: In this cross-sectional, retrospective study, 4534 teeth from 105 patients were used to train and validate an automatic model for OIRR quantification. The protocol encompassed several steps: preprocessing of CBCT images involving automatic tooth segmentation and conversion into point clouds, followed by segmentation of tooth crowns and roots via the Dynamic Graph Convolutional Neural Network. The root volume was subsequently calculated, and OIRR localization was performed. The intraclass correlation coefficient was employed to validate the consistency between the automatic model and manual measurements.

Results: The proposed method strongly correlated with manual measurements in terms of root volume and OIRR severity assessment. The intraclass correlation coefficient values for average volume measurements at each tooth position exceeded 0.95 (P <0.001), with the accuracy of different OIRR severity classifications surpassing 0.8.

Conclusions: The proposed methodology provides automatic and reliable tools for OIRR assessment, offering potential improvements in orthodontic treatment planning and monitoring.