Utility of fusion volumetric images from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging for localizing the mandibular canal

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to investigate whether CT/MRI fusion volumetric images can improve the detectability of the mandibular canal (MC) compared with CT alone.Methods:Images of 31 lesions within or close to the mandible using both multislice CT (MSCT) and MRI were gathered from our imaging archives. All lesions underwent MSCT and three-dimensional volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (3D-VIBE) MRI. Of the 62 hemimandibles, 13 hemimandibles were excluded because the MC passed through a lesion. The remaining 49 hemimandibles were included in this study. Each hemimandible was divided into 3 areas (premolar, molar and retromolar), and 147 areas were evaluated. First, the visibility of the MC on CT or its neurovascular bundle (NVB) on 3D-VIBE was evaluated. Second, in areas in which both the MC and NVB were visible, the relative locations of the NVB on MRI and the position of the MC on CT were assessed using CT/MRI fusion volumetric images.Results:The MC and NVB were clearly visib...